KOZHIKODE: The alarming rise in student violence has once again shaken the state. Even before the shock of the brutal ragging at a nursing college in Kottayam has subsided, another horrifying incident has left the state in fear—15-year-old Shahbaz, a Class 10 student, was killed by his peers. The growing number of such incidents, from Siddharth’s killing to this, has left society gripped with fear.

Chilling messages from an Instagram group of the accused teenagers have surfaced, revealing the premeditated nature of the crime. "I'll definitely kill him. If we do it as a group, there will be no case," read one of the texts. The attackers, all aged 15, used dangerous weapons, including nunchaku, to carry out the assault.

Five students from Thamarassery Higher Secondary School have been arrested and charged with murder. They were presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and subsequently sent to the observation home in Vellimadukunnu. However, they have been granted permission to appear for the SSLC examinations starting on Monday, following a request from their parents. Ironically, Shahbaz, too, was supposed to sit for the same exams. Minister V Sivankutty said that the Director of General Education will conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Shahbaz (15) suffered a severe head injury and was on a ventilator at Kozhikode Medical College, where he succumbed to his injuries around 1 AM yesterday. He was the eldest son of Chungam native Iqbal and Ramseena. Shahbaz was a Class 10 student at Vattoli MJHSS.

After the post-mortem at Kozhikode Medical College, his body was brought to his ancestral home around 3 PM. Following a public viewing at Kedavoor Madrasa, he was laid to rest at the Kedavoor Juma Masjid cemetery. Thousands gathered to pay their last respects, including classmates, teachers, and relatives, all overcome with grief.

Shahbaz is survived by his younger brothers Muhammad Shammas (Class 2), Muhammad Ayaan (UKG) and Muhammad Yameen (1.5 years old).

Post-mortem confirms skull fracture
The autopsy revealed that Shahbaz’s skull was fractured, with a break above his right ear. There was internal bleeding in the brain, and he had been struck with a heavy weapon.

Shahbaz did not inform his family about getting hurt
The fight between the two groups of students stemmed from a dispute during a "Send-Off" event at the Tris Tuition Center near Thamarassery Bus Stand. The conflict involved students from Vattoli MJHSS and Thamarassery Higher Secondary School. The initial incident occurred on Sunday, followed by the fatal assault on Thursday.

Shahbaz, who was not a student at the tuition center, was called out from his home by a friend and taken to the location. Despite sustaining serious injuries, he did not inform his family about the attack. Later in the night, he began vomiting. Following this, he was admitted to the hospital, where his condition worsened, leading to his untimely death.