The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted bail to six school students accused in the murder of 15-year-old Shahabas, a class 10 student. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas pronounced the order.

Those who were given the bail are currently residing in a juvenile home. The bail is granted with conditions, including that the students and their parents must cooperate with the investigation  into the death of the Class 10 student. 

Shahabas was reportedly attacked by his fellow tuition students in Kozhikode in February. It alleged that the minors who were booked coordinated the attack through WhatsApp and Instagram groups. Shahabas succumbed to a fatal skull fracture.

Police have charged the accused with murder, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly, and voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

The High Court on Wednesday stated that some of the accused, arrested in early March, have been in juvenile homes for over 90 days, and others for over 100 days. The court clarified that refusing bail to the accused is against the very spirit of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Though the prosecution had earlier pointed out that granting bail to the accused would lead to law and order problems, the court said that could not be a reason to deny bail.

Six students were admitted to Plus One earlier after the court's intervention. Three of them secured admission at the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Thamarassery, while the others gained admission to other schools in Kozhikode.