Photograph of Nido Tanim who was allegedly beaten to death in Lajpat Nagar in Delhi. #KilledByRacism

Photograph of Nido Tanim who was allegedly beaten to death in Lajpat Nagar in Delhi. #KilledByRacism

Nido Taniam, the 18-year-old son of a local politician from the Northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, died on Thursday, Jan. 30 after being allegedly beaten by a mob in Delhi due to an altercation during which he was teased about his hairstyle.

Family, friends and activists have alleged that Taniam's death was the result of racial discrimination directed toward people from Northeast India.

Taniam reportedly visited a crowded spot in Delhi with his friends and was looking for an address when some shopkeepers began mocking him about his hair, which was colored blonde. Relatives claim that the shopkeepers hurled racial slurs at him.

A fight erupted during which Taniam broke the shop's glass window. A group of six to eight locals then allegedly beat him up with iron rods and sticks.

After the police arrived, they reportedly took Taniam away and settled the dispute with by fining the shopkeepers. But they later dropped him off at the same spot of the fight, where he was allegedly beaten up by the men again.

The next day, Taniam's friend found him unresponsive at home. He was rushed to the hospital and declared dead. His family claims that he died of injuries from the brutal beating.

The initial post-mortem report did not reveal "much injury or aberration." The autopsy indicated that his death may have been caused due to internal injuries, but sources said this wasn't conclusive.

The police have detained three people for questioning.