Kerala HC refuses bail to five juveniles accused of murdering Class 10 student

Kochi, April 25 The Kerala High Court on Friday refused bail to five juveniles, arrested for involvement in the murder of a 15-year-old Class 10 student who was allegedly attacked by his fellow students in Kozhikode, leading to his death.

The five have been charged with murder, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly, and voluntarily causing grave injuries.

All five are students and have been in judicial custody for the past 56 days.

The court also took into account that the victim was a 15-year-old and said, considering the above aspects, it was not inclined to grant bail to the petitioners.

"Moreover, in the present cases, a minor aged 15 years was murdered. It is noteworthy that the Juvenile Justice Act aims not only to take care of the children in conflict with the law but also to address the needs and welfare of all juveniles. The objective must be balanced with the need to ensure justice for victims and the broader societal interest," it said.

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 following a dispute during a farewell event at a tuition centre in the last week 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 the five 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 Hospital, where he passed away.

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