Kozhikode: Provocative chats inciting gang assault on Mohammed Shahabas,16, who died after being beaten up by a group of school students in Kozhikode, surfaced on Saturday, indicating that the attack was pre-meditated. The police probing the death of Shahabas said that a martial arts weapon; nunchaku was reportedly used to land fatal blows on Shahabas. Shahabas had sustained grave injuries to his head and internal hemorrhage could have led to death, a senior police official said.

The chats from a student group feature voice clips calling for an attack on Shahabas. Other students aware of the chats told media that they saw images of knife and nunchaku being posted on the group but were unsure if it was used by the students. A student is heard encouraging others to join in the planned attack on Shahabas. The trail of conversations went on even after Shahabas was admitted to hospital with critical injuries. "There won't be legal issues, case will be dismissed. They came at us," one student opined via voice clip. In a group chat on Instagram, a student can be heard bragging about beating up Shahabas, "I had told you I will kill Shahabas, and I have kept my word."

Broken clips of chats among students show some expressing concerns over legal issues and others allaying fears. After learning that Shahabas was injured, a student involved in the assault sent him a voice message via Instagram, "Didn't I tell you to stay away multiple times. But you kept coming at us, instigating the fight. Now that this has happened, you need to deal with it. That is the only way."

Police said that they are looking into the voice messages, and by now, it is clear that the attack was planned and not a case of sudden provocation. Neighbouring residents of Shahabas told media that one student had summoned Shahabas from his house on the day of the incident, which again was suspicious. Tension simmered among the students of two schools following an event at the tuition centre in which some students booed the participants of a dance programme. This led to a heated exchange between students, and group chats revealed that the students harboured a grudge and hatched retaliation for what happened at the event.

Shahabas's body was taken to his residence in Palorakkunnu, Chungam, Thamarassery, on Saturday. A public homage took place at the Kedavoor madrassa, after which the body was laid to rest at Kedavoor Juma Masjid.