Thamarassery Shahabas murder case: One more student arrested, total accused now six

Kerala: One more student has been taken into custody in connection with the murder of Mohammed Shahabas in Thamarassery, increasing the total number of accused to six. The accused were previously allowed to appear for their Class 10 exams inside a juvenile home, sparking protests from opposition organizations.

Kozhikode: Another student has been taken into custody in connection with the murder of Muhammad Shahabas in Thamarassery, bringing the total number of accused to six. The student was taken to the crime scene for investigation and later brought to the Thamarassery police station. Earlier, five individuals were arrested and placed in a juvenile justice home.

The violence, which led to Class 10 student Shahabas's death, stemmed from a clash between students from Elattil Vattoli MJ Higher Secondary School and Thamarassery Higher Secondary School. The conflict began reportedly due to a dispute over a farewell program organized for Class 10 students at a local tuition center. Tensions escalated when students from both schools clashed again three days later, continuing the feud.

These accused students had recently appeared for their Class 10 examinations, sparking widespread protests from opposition organizations. Initially, schools near the Vellimadukunnu Juvenile Detention Center were considered as examination centers. However, due to the possibility of further protests, authorities decided to conduct the exam within the juvenile home itself. District and state leaders from KSU, Youth Congress, and MSF staged protests in front of the juvenile home, leading to their removal by the police. 

The exam concluded by noon, and education department officials left the premises. Shahabas's father criticized the authorities, stating that allowing the accused to take the exam sent the wrong message.

Meanwhile, Thamarassery police are planning to include the father of the prime accused in the case, as he is suspected of supplying the weapon used in the attack. He has a history of criminal cases registered at the Thamarassery police station, and his connections to quotation gangs and political circles have come to light. Additionally, the father of another accused student is a police driver currently assigned to a senior district officer.

Investigations have also revealed that three of the accused were involved in a violent incident at Thamarassery School last year. As ninth-grade students at the time, they had attacked eighth-grade students returning from tuition, injuring a female student as well.