Local government authorities in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province, said that physically abuse did exist in an Internet addiction treatment institute.

The local government confirmed on Monday morning that physical abuse existed at the Yuzhang Shuyuan, an institute that "helped to convert delinquent teenagers" and that it would be penalized and the relevant people would be held accountable.

The government began its investigation after netizens on Zhihu, China's Quora-like knowledge sharing site, exposed that Yuzhang Shuyuan physically abused its students.

Many teenagers who used to stay at the Yuzhang Shuyuan center confirmed with the Global Times with the "physically abuse."

"They use the 'longbian' (steel bar) to beat us until we obeyed them, and newcomers were locked in a 'little black room' for seven days," said the students who requested anonymity.

Many said they were tricked by their parents to get there. "My parents said we are going to travel and then they just dropped me there and disappeared," said a former student surnamed Wu.

The institute declined to be interviewed by the Global Times.

The students said the teenagers were Internet addicts, puppy lovers and who don't like to study.

A government notice released Monday evening said was established in 2013, and was in charge of "converting delinquent teenagers" in 2014.