Lucknow, Sep 2 (IANS): Three Class 9 students in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district have been arrested for killing a Class 7 schoolmate after a verbal duel, police said Friday.

Atul, 13, was allegedly strangled to death by the three who were arrested Thursday. After the killing Aug 27, the three dumped Atul in a pond in Sariya village from which his body was recovered two days later.

"Initially, we thought Atul's death was an accident, but his autopsy report reveals strangulation," police inspector Anil Singh told reporters Friday in Sitapur, some 80 km from Lucknow.

"We became suspicious of the three schoolmates during investigations," he said. "It came to the fore that the victim was last seen with them. They admitted killing Atul following heated arguments over bathing in the pond."

According to police, the three -- all 15-year-olds -- will now be produced in a juvenile court and could be sent to a juvenile home later.