The killing of Muhammed Shahabaz, a Class 10 student from Thamarassery, has sent shockwaves throughout Kerala. Not just for the loss of a young life, but for the brutality with which the murder was executed and by whom.
Shahabaz was slain during a clash that ensued between students of two schools in a neighbourhood. The reason — an argument that broke out during a farewell event at a nearby tuition centre.
This was Sunday last week. The days after saw passionate messages (even death threats) flung on social media platforms, festering the issue. Finally, on March 1 — the pent-up anger and aggression culminated in a violent brawl on the street. Shahabaz succumbed to an injury sustained to the head on the day.
Five Class 10 students have been charged with his murder. It was clear during the preliminary phase of the investigation that this was a premeditated attack. According to the police, the accused had created social media groups to coordinate their move.
What’s also worrying is the fact that the incident occurred when these students were presumably ‘preparing’ for the SSLC examinations, and just days after another equally brutal case made headlines.
A worrying trend
On February 24, 23-year-old Afan surrendered at the Venjaramoodu police station after murdering five people, including his grandmother and girlfriend. According to the police, the instigation for this horrific killing spree was financial issues, including a debt of over `60 lakh.
The two incidents are only the latest in a string of violent crimes reported in recent months across the state where the accused turned out to be youngsters and teenagers.
According to Dr T K Anandi, writer and former gender advisor to the state government, several teachers from around the state have raised the matter of anger issues festering among children. “Cases of violence were not uncommon. But not to this frequency. And certainly not to this degree,” she says.
Today, even simple arguments evolve into fist fights in no time and many students have been reported to carry weapons such as knives to school, Anandi informs.
Wrong influences
But what is the reason for this aggression? While we have seen political leaders attempt to link these acts to the suspects’ potential political affiliations and the increasing pressure of narcotics on society, many attribute them to a decline in morality. However, psychiatrists and experts warn that there may be underlying causes still.
The use of aggressive violence in movies is, no doubt, an influencing factor, says Dr Arun B Nair, professor of psychiatry at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
“Though movies with macho aggression have existed in the past too, what’s worrisome in the present scenario is its frequency and accessibility. Children have impressionable minds,” Arun points out.
However, it’s not just the movies these days. It’s most mass media, the professor says. “Social media and the internet have umpteen content that may not be appropriate for children. But it is accessible to them anyway. Today, there’s also this over-glorification of the idea that masculinity means physical strength,” he adds.
Erosion of discipline
“In Kerala, which is increasingly becoming a semi-western society, there’s also an erosion of restraint. A lack of structured discipline,” Arun points out. M S Pranav, consultant psychologist at Solace Neurobehavioral and Child Guidance Centre, concurs.
“In earlier times, individuals were subjected to strict social norms, restrictions, and a structured system, which acted as a form of behavioural control. But today, teenagers and youngsters are neither restricted nor controlled, nor do they face struggles for basic needs,” Pranav says.
“As a result,” the psychologist continues, “even minor issues like feeling insecure, self-doubt, or seeking attention can escalate into extreme behaviours.”
Adding to this, Dr Femi Abdullah, a consultant psychiatrist and a sexual medicine practitioner, highlights the role of desensitisation (i.e. the gradual loss of emotional sensitivity due to repeated exposure to violent content) among teens and youth.
“To a teenager, a violent hero appears ‘cool.’ When they are constantly exposed to violent depictions in movies and games, real-life violence no longer feels shocking. Over time, they become desensitised to aggression, making it harder for them to handle even minor criticism, which fuels anger and resentment,” Femi explains. She also stresses that substance abuse intensifies violent tendencies among youth.
“Rage is on the rise,” says Anoop John, a teacher at Ramamangalam High School. According to him, it was the pandemic that was a catalyst for this disturbing trend.
“Before the pandemic, there was a healthy connection between students, parents, and teachers. But now, we’re seeing a shift,” he says.
“Students today are exposed to a range of content, even hate-inducing ones. As a result, empathy, love, and respect... these values are fading. Today, it’s all about ‘me, myself, and I.’ An unhealthy self-prioritisation is taking over,” Anoop says.
Absence of support systems
According to Anoop, teachers are often hesitant to address problems because they lack a solid support system.
“That’s not all. Parents are often dismissive and keep denying when teachers point out issues,” he adds.
To elaborate, he cites a recent incident. “A teacher addressed a child’s behaviour to their parents. But it escalated when the parents dismissed the situation and accused the teacher of spreading false information, landing her in trouble. This is wrong. Society and government should stand with teachers,” he says.
S Syamsundar, the South Zone IG, stresses the vital role that teachers play in preventing such incidents. “Teachers are key to curbing violence in schools. Teaching is not just a job. It’s a social responsibility,” the officer says.
However, he flagged that it was concerning that no school or teacher has reported instances of drug abuse among students, despite it being on the rise.
“Teachers should not suppress such issues out of fear of tarnishing the school’s reputation or affecting future admissions. If this trend continues, the situation will only worsen. Adequate measures need to be taken quickly,” he says.
Additionally, when an issue happens, it is important for teachers to look beyond the classroom and assess if the student faces any challenges at home, and offer help accordingly. Then only could true resolution be possible. Society, government and parents should work together towards such long-term solutions for generational change, Anoop adds.
Lack of a ‘home’
Anandi also points to the home front as an important factor. “Today, a majority of households are nuclear families, where both parents would be working. Tired parents often have very little time to spend constructive time with children. In turn, children lack judgement-free space to open up to their parents. This adds to the alienation of the children, who then start depending on other unknown mediums for validation and acceptance. All these will slowly become fertile ground for aggressive behaviours,” she says.
“There are, no doubt, several contributing factors, such as the mechanical way of life, family backgrounds, and other underlying issues. A detailed socio-psychological analysis is needed to fully understand these incidents of the past few months. Ultimately, I would say it is a collective failure on the part of parents, teachers, and society as a whole,” says P Vijayan, ADGP.
Communities are key
Dr Arun cautions that portraying youth and children as morally depraved and villains in society will not solve the issue. “What we need is a constructive solution. Children need communities within and outside the home where they can healthily develop. The education system should also focus on students’ mental and emotional development, not just employability,” he says.
He suggests that social service activities and programmes that promote positive behaviour should be introduced early in a student’s life.
“Community services from home and school such as visiting orphanages, old-age homes, and animal rescue centres will help develop children emotionally. Along with these, we need programmes where art and sports are encouraged,” he says.
Anandi agrees. “Today’s children are very creative and sensitive. And they need all our support, especially at this huge turning point. What they need is a healthy community. Having a gym in every panchayat, libraries that are accessible to children, art and sports programmes, and much more attention to humanitarian and social sciences, etc., will go a long way in helping them,” she says.