IT was just a dispute over a laptop but it resulted in the horrific death of army student Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain who was bound, beaten and burned with iron for days – by his varsity mates.

The 21-year-old Malaysian Na­­tional Defence University student was rushed to Serdang Hospital on Thursday with 80% of his body covered in bruises and burn marks, reports The Star Online.

The two supposed friends of Zulfarhan Osman who rushed him to the hospital were arrested along with 34 other students – 30 from the university and four from Universiti Tenaga Nasional.

A source said Zulfarhan Osman was beaten and tortured for two days on May 20 and 21 with a belt, rubber hose, iron and hanger by his varsity mates.

“A week later on May 27, two of his batch mates drove the victim to a clinic in Bangi for treatment.

“They brought him to the clinic again on May 31,” the source said.

However, they did not return to the university as they had snuck out without permission, and are be­­lieved to have holed up in an apartment in Serdang.

But Zulfarhan Osman’s condition worsened around 8pm on Thursday and he had to be rushed to Serdang Hospital.

He died two hours later.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Fadzil Ahmat confirmed the case is a murder investigation and that 36 students were arrested, but declined to comment further.

All 36 have been remanded for a week until June 8.

“It is still an ongoing investigation, please let us carry it out without everyone speculating,” he said. – June 3, 2017.