KOZHIKODE: The five students accused in the Thamarassery Shahabaz murder case, wrote their SSLC examinations on Monday at a specially arranged exam centre inside the Vellimadukunnu Juvenile Home, where they are currently lodged. This move by the authorities came in the wake of strong protests from opposition student and youth organisations, leading to the detention of around 85 protesters.
The Juvenile Justice Board had granted permission for the accused to appear for the examination. However, due to anticipated protests, they were unable to write the exam at the Thamarassery Government Higher Secondary School, where they had been studying. To avoid further unrest, the education department and police opted for an alternative venue within the juvenile home itself.
Organisations such as the Kerala Students Union (KSU), Youth Congress, and Muslim Students Federation (MSF) staged demonstrations outside the Juvenile Home, demanding justice for Shahabaz, who was allegedly killed by his classmates.
The protesters were detained and removed from the premises before the examination was completed around 12pm. Shahabaz’ father, Iqbal, expressed his distress at the decision to allow the accused to sit for their exams, calling it “a great pain” for the family. Iqbal argued that permitting them to write the exams would send the wrong message and undermine the justice system.
He added that such actions would diminish the value of the judiciary and expressed frustration over the political influence allegedly wielded by the father of the main accused. The postmortem report confirmed that Shahabaz died from a fractured skull, with Iqbal stating that the attack was not only carried out by the minors but also involved adults.
The shocking murder of the Class 10 student Shahabaz was not an impulsive act but a well-planned crime, according to District Rural SP K E Baiju. Talking to TNIE, Baiju confirmed that all those involved in the brutal killing have been arrested and that the police are investigating whether more individuals were part of the conspiracy.
Baiju revealed that the WhatsApp messages exchanged among the children serve as evidence of the premeditated nature of the attack. “The way the assault was carried out proves that this was not just a fight among children but a carefully orchestrated attack,” he stated.
While this decision has raised concerns, the SP clarified that the authorities had no choice but to follow the rules that grant accused individuals the right to appear for their examinations. “As per the legal framework, the accused have the right to write their exams, and we are bound to abide by it,” the Rural SP stated. However, he reassured that this would not affect the ongoing investigation.
A significant revelation in the case is that the father of one of the accused has a criminal background. However, Baiju clarified that, so far, no adults have been found to be directly involved in the murder.