Lucknow, Dec 10 (IANS): In a bizarre incident, a 14-year-old boy was beaten to death by cricketers during a game Sunday at Lakhimpur Kheri, police said. The boy, a spectator of the game, was beaten for poking fun at a fielder who missed a catch.

The match was played at Shuklapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, about 130 km from here. The deceased boy, Simran, had clapped in derision after a fielder missed a catch.

The boy's father, Raziullah, a mason, lodged an FIR with the local police that two boys from the neighbourhood, Anas and Yaseer, players in the match, had beaten his son with sticks and iron rods. According to the complaint lodged by his father, Simran had lost consciousness after being beaten, and was rushed to CHC medical facility by other spectators. He was declared dead at the hospital.

Saumitra Yadav, additional superintendent of police (ASP) Lakhimpur Kheri told IANS that the boy was apparently killed during the cricket match. "We are collecting accounts of witnesses, and will arrest the guilty soon," Yadav said.