Kochi: The Kerala High Court has directed the Superintendent of Observation Home, Kozhikode, to facilitate the admission of five juveniles accused in the Shahabas murder case into other schools.
Additionally, the Station House Officer, Thamarassery, was instructed to provide protection and assistance to both the petitioners and the Superintendent of the Observation Home.
Justice Bechu Kurien Thomas issued the order to ensure the accused juveniles could enrol in Class 11 at their designated schools, as outlined in their application, which stated they had been allotted to three different institutions.
"Having heard the counsel for the petitioners as well as the learnt public prosecutor and the counsel for the de facto complainant, this court is of the view that the petitioners' opportunities for education ought not to be restricted, especially since the bail application is being heard by this court and has been reserved for judgement. Thus, the petitioners were granted liberty for the limited period required, on June 5, 2025, for obtaining admission in their respective allotted schools. The authorities of the Observation Home, Kozhikode, were directed to make necessary arrangements either to enable the petitioners' appearance online during the admission process or to be physically present before the respective schools to obtain admission," the court said.
Meanwhile, the order of their bail applications has now been reserved.
The High Court, last month, came to the help of these juveniles arrested for involvement in the murder of a minor student in Kozhikode 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.
Despite teachers attempting to defuse tensions through WhatsApp messages, the situation escalated into a violent clash near the tuition centre.
Shahabas sustained severe head injuries during the altercation, ultimately leading to his death.
Police charged five individuals with murder, stating that they had used weapons, including a truncheon and a nunchaku, in the attack.
Although Shahabas was not a student at the tuition centre, he was called to the venue while running an errand.
After the attack, a friend took him home. Initially unaware of the assault, his family suspected drug use upon finding him in a weakened state.
Once they learnt the truth, he was rushed to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital and later transferred to Kozhikode Government Medical College and Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The five accused have been charged with murder, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly, and voluntarily causing grievous harm.
Since their arrest, they have remained in judicial custody and appeared for their examinations while detained.
(inputs from IANS)