INSTEAD of using the school's surau to perform prayers, students of a religious school turned it into a "torture centre" to bully the junior students, Kosmo! said.

A student, who declined to be identified, told the paper that he and four others were beaten up by the bullies on Thursday night at the surau.

He said they were beaten because they had allegedly refused to listen to their seniors.

"I was the last one to enter the surau, and I could hear the screams of the students who were being beaten up," he added.

When asked why he didn't lodge a police report, the student said he considered the matter settled after a meeting between the school authorities and the victims' parents.

Only one of the victims had lodged a police report, the paper said. -The Star/ANN