The French government has called for calm following the announcement of the death of a 16-year-old boy of Turkish descent, who died after his motorcycle collided with a police car in France under disputed circumstances, on a road outside Paris.

The victim's family lawyer accused the police of crashing into the boy's motorcycle with a patrol car while pursuing it at high speed, amid fears of a repeat of events that occurred in French cities two months ago following the shooting death of a boy named Nael by a police officer.

Prosecutors stated that two police officers are in custody pending a potential investigation for involuntary manslaughter. They quoted the police as saying that the young man did not obey orders to stop while riding his motorcycle on the sidewalk and collided with a police car at an intersection while trying to flee. Prosecutors mentioned earlier on Thursday that the young man had died.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 6, shortly after two months since the police shot a young man of North African descent, leading to his death in the Nanterre suburb of Paris.

This incident sparked riots and looting over five days across the country and renewed deep resentment among the poor in France's suburbs, particularly in communities of immigrants that have long accused the police of violence and racial profiling.