Kozhikode: Kozhikode Rural SP K E Baiju confirmed that 16-year-old Mohammed Shahabas succumbed to an internal haemorrhage caused by a heavy blow to the back of his head. Shahabas, a student of MJ Higher Secondary School, Elettil, was attacked by a group of students from GVHSS Thamarassery and passed away early Saturday while undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, the Kozhikode Juvenile Justice Board denied bail to the five accused, all under 16, and ordered their transfer to the Government Observation Home for Boys, Vellimadukunnu, until March 15, 2025. However, they will be allowed to appear for the SSLC exams under police escort. Their hall tickets and other examination details were submitted to the court.

The altercation that led to the fatal attack reportedly stemmed from tensions at a farewell party at Triz Institute, a tuition centre in Thamarassery, where the accused studied. According to Akhilesh, an instructor at the institute, the DJ music at the party stopped mid-performance due to a phone call, leading to booing from the audience and, subsequently, an altercation between the students. Fearful of further conflict, students from MJ HSS avoided stepping out of the venue. “It was us who dropped the five students at their houses,” Akhilesh said.

According to him, the institute later advised those involved to skip the Malayalam tuition classes on Thursday, but tensions escalated when the students created WhatsApp groups and discussed the issues. This led to a scenario in which students from both schools challenged each other.

On Thursday evening, a group of 35 students from MJ HSS gathered near Vezhuppur Road, just 200 meters from the tuition centre, while five students from GVHSS Thamarassery arrived in response to the challenge. A fight broke out, during which Shahabas was critically injured. His friends took him home, where he initially showed no visible wounds. However, his condition worsened by the evening. He was first rushed to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital and later referred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where he passed away.

Shahabas, the eldest son of Palorakkunnu Iqbal and Ramseena from Chungam, was laid to rest at Kedavoor Juma Masjid after a public homage at Kedavoor Madrassa.