Police confirm murder of Class 10 student in Kerala was pre-planned

NEW DELHI: The murder of a Class 10 student in Thamarassery, near here, was carried out with careful planning, the police said on Monday. "Conversations from the students’ WhatsApp group indicate that the attack was premeditated," a senior police officer told media. He added that the psychological state of the accused students following the attack also needs to be assessed. Searches were conducted at the homes of the students to recover the weapon used in the attack, and efforts are ongoing to examine the students' mobile phones, WhatsApp groups, and Instagram accounts, the officer said.

The police are also investigating whether any adults were involved in the attack. The police's move comes amidst reports that the father of the main accused student has links to quotation gangs and smuggling networks. Meanwhile, Iqbal, the father of the slain student, expressed his distress over the decision to allow the accused students to sit for their SSLC exams. He was reacting to the decision to permit the five accused students to write their exams from the juvenile home. Iqbal stated that allowing murder accused to sit for exams would only encourage children to resort to violence again.

Protests over exam venue

"They should have been barred from exams for a year and allowed to appear next year instead. Permitting them to write the exams now sends a message that no matter what they do, there will be no real consequences," he said. Initially, arrangements were made for the five accused to take their exams at a school in Thamarassery . However, following protests by KSU, Youth Congress, and Muslim Students Federation (MSF) activists, the exams were conducted within the juvenile home at Vellimadukunnu near here.

Class 10 student Muhammed Shahabas who suffered severe head injuries in a clash between students near a private tuition centre at Thamarassery succumbed to his injuries early on Saturday. Shahabas, 16, who had been undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, died around 1 am on Saturday. Five students were taken into custody in connection with the incident, and murder charges were invoked against them. They were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.