SHANGHAI, China - His crime? Stealing 300 yuan (S$56). For that, a 12-year-old boy was tied and strung to a pole, before being violently whipped and beaten by his father for 30 minutes.

According to the Shanghai Daily, the boy had stolen money from his parents and spent it all playing video games.

The money was supposed to have been used to pay family's rent.

The incident happened in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China on Sunday at about 11.30am on Sunday.

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A clip of the beating that was uploaded online had stirred public outcry against family violence.

A neighbour who rushed out of the apartment at the commotion said the boy was hanging from an iron pole about 2m above the ground.

The mother was pulling on the rope which held her son aloft while at the boy:"Lash him to death!"

"He was screaming 'I won't dare do it again'", said the neighbour, Mr Ning.

"It seemed like the parents really wanted to beat their own son to death on the street," he added.

The father reportedly first used a whip, before switching his weapon of choice to a wooden club.

When neighbours tried to intervene and beg the father to stop, he shouted: "It's my son and my own way of educating him! This is none of your business!"

Even when approached by a reporter, the father said: "I'm disciplining my son, what's the big deal?"

The beating stopped only when police arrived. The boy suffered injuries on his legs, but the parents were not detained and were only given a warning.

Neighbours told the Shanghai Daily that the family was from Anhui Province and earned a living by collecting discarded electronic goods.

The couple had locked the money in their drawer, and flew into a rage after finding the money missing, said neighbours.

candicec@sph.com.sg