Bhubaneswar: A 16-year-old student has been detained by the police in Bhubaneswar on charges that he killed his former tuition teacher’s son because the 14-year-old’s father pestered him about unpaid fees, police said.

Police said the victim, a class 9 student of Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya run by the state government, was studying at home for a school test when the suspect turned up late on Wednesday.

“As soon as he opened the door, the accused stabbed him in his chest, neck and stomach several times leaving him in a pool of blood. The minor was rushed by his family to the district headquarters hospital in Khurda town where he was declared dead on arrival,” said Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Prateek Singh.

Police said the suspect’s school bag was found at the spot. “He was then summoned and confessed to the crime during questioning. The accused used to take tuition from the victim’s parents about two years ago. He felt humiliated as they asked for pending fees amounting to ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 time and again and irked over it, he attacked him with a knife,” the DCP said.

The accused was produced before the district juvenile justice board and remanded to a correctional home.

The victim’s father denied that he pestered any of his students for pending fees.

“The accused is known to me. Why would I keep pestering him for money? I am sure someone has put out a contract for my son’s murder. The conspiracy can be unravelled only by CBI,” said Manoj Paltasingh, father of the victim.

A family member of the accused also contested the police conclusion. “The tuition teacher is a gentleman. I am sure he would not demand money from his students… There must be some other reason,” he said.