A private tutor has been detained by police in east China's Shandong Province after a 12-year-old boy died and three others were injured during a class.

A report in the Legal Evening News said that a 50-year-old woman surnamed Li had been running classes at her home in Xilou Village, helping students with their homework. She used to be a substitute teacher at a local primary school, police said, but was sacked in 2002.

Police issued a statement saying that around 9am on Saturday, she allegedly beat four students, causing one to die from severe injuries. Two students are still in hospital.

The father of the dead boy told the Qilu Evening News that Li had been coaching his son for over four years, charging around 100 yuan (US$15) a month. He said there were more than 10 children in his son's class on Saturday.

He said other students had claimed Li used a rolling pin and beat the children. "They told me my son had asked why he was being beaten when he was being obedient."

The next time he saw his son, he said, was to identify his body in hospital. There was blood all over the boy's clothes, he said, and a "hole" in the back of his head.

The newspaper said villagers rushed to the scene after hearing students run from the house, calling for help.

It published a photograph of Li's home, showing a number of blood stains.

It said the other three students suffered head injuries and fractures.

Police said their investigation was ongoing.

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