Kerala HC grants bail to six juveniles accused of murdering 15-year-old

Kochi, June 11 The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted bail to six juveniles accused in the murder of 15-year-old Shahabas, even as the victim's father strongly expressed his ire against the decision and said he will fight the case.

This bail comes a week after the High Court directed the Superintendent of Observation Home, Kozhikode, to take steps to enable the admission of these accused juveniles in the Shahabas murder case in other schools.

On Wednesday, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the order granting bail and permitted their release from the Kozhikode Observation Home on the personal bond of their parents.

While granting bail, the court pointed out that observation homes are not meant for prolonged detention, especially when the juveniles have no prior criminal records.

It also asked the parents to submit affidavits and made it clear that the juveniles must cooperate with the ongoing investigation and refrain from engaging in any criminal activity.

Shahabas’s father said till now, he has not spoken anything, but after hearing what happened today, he will now speak out on the injustice meted out to him.

The High Court, last month, came to the help of these juveniles after their results were withheld by the state government.

Following the intervention of the court, state Education Minister V. Sivankutty announced their Class 10 marks, with all having passed and being cleared for higher studies.

Shahabas, a student of MJ Higher Secondary School, Thamarassery, Kozhikode, succumbed to serious injuries on March 1, after being injured in the fight between the students of his school and Thamarassery GVHSS, stemming from a dispute at a tuition centre farewell event at the end of February.

Even though the teachers intervened then through a series of WhatsApp messages, the tension escalated, leading to a violent clash near the tuition centre.

Shahabas suffered serious head injuries, which led to his death.

Police pressed murder charges against them and stated that the accused used weapons, including a truncheon and a nunchaku, for the attack on Shahabas.

Though Shahabas was not a student at the tuition centre, he was called to the venue while running an errand.

Following the attack, he was taken home by a friend. Initially unaware of the attack, his family suspected drug use when they found him in a weak state at home.

Upon learning the truth, he was rushed to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital and later shifted to Kozhikode Government Medical College and Hospital, where he passed away.

All the accused students since then have been in judicial custody, and also appeared for their examination while in custody.

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