A scuffle erupted in a smartphone shop at Low Yat Plaza after a group of youths clashed with retailers yesterday afternoon.

Videos and pictures of the scuffle, which happened on the ground floor of the popular electronic shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur, went viral on social media.

New Strait Times Online reported that seven men ran amok after a friend of theirs was nabbed for allegedly stealing a cellular phone. 

The 7.50pm incident saw several workers of a phone shop there beaten up by the group.

The men also damaged many products and some equipment at the store.

City police Criminal Investigation Department chief Zainuddin Ahmad said police had arrested one of the men, aged 22, for rioting, while a manhunt for the rest has started.

"Initial investigations revealed that the incident followed the arrest of a suspected thief who was nabbed by a security guard of the plaza, who then handed him to police.

"A friend of the suspect was upset with his arrest, and called for the others to retaliate," he was quoted as saying. 

Zainuddin estimated the damage  to be around RM70,000.

The case is being investigated under Section 147 and 427 of the Penal Code for rioting and causing damages.

On the net however, the story was portrayed differently.

Several blogs wrote that the so called 'thief' was actually duped by the retailers while purchasing a phone from a shop there. 

He later came back with his friends and demanded full compensation before attacking its premises.