Kolkata, June 28 (PTI) A 47-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death at a state-run hostel for students in central Kolkata's Bowbazar area on Friday over suspicion of mobile phone theft, police said.

The victim, identified as Irshad, used to work as a mechanic at an electronics shop in the Chandni Chowk area, they said.

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Irshad had earlier gone to the hostel to repair a television, and after some mobile phones went missing over the last few days, he was again called to the hostel this morning, a police officer said.

He was accused of stealing a mobile phone, allegedly tied up and beaten, his family said.

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"He had called us from the hostel and said that the students after accusing him of theft, were demanding money," a relative said.

He was later admitted to a state-run hospital in a critical condition and he died there in the afternoon, a doctor who treated him said.

Police said they have detained 15 people in connection with the case and were questioning them.

"An investigation is underway," the officer said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)