Thodupuzha Professor Hand-Chopping Case: Kerala Court Convicts 6, Acquits 5

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Kochi on Wednesday convicted six individuals while five others have been acquitted in the highly publicized case of a college professor’s hand chopping incident that occurred in 2010.

The incident occurred due to allegations that the professor had insulted Prophet Mohammed in a question paper. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced by NIA judge Anil Bhaskar on Thursday.

This verdict pertains to the second phase of the trial, which was based on a supplementary chargesheet filed against 11 individuals. In the initial phase of the trial back in 2015, the court had delivered a verdict on 31 accused individuals, finding 13 of them guilty while acquitting 18 others.

During the trial of the first group of accused individuals, these 11 others were absconding. However, they later surrendered or were apprehended by the NIA. It is worth noting that the first accused, Savad, who had severed the professor’s palm, remains at large even after 13 years since the crime took place.

All the accused individuals were members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), an organization that was banned in 2022.

On July 4, 2010, Professor T J Joseph of Newman College, Thodupuzha, was attacked by the allegedly due to his alleged insult of the Prophet in a question paper for an internal examination at the college. As per the prosecution, the gang, armed with weapons and explosive materials, assaulted Professor Joseph, severing his right palm with an axe and attempting to take his life.

The accused individuals were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act.

The NIA, which took over the investigation from the Kerala Police, determined that the attack constituted an act of terrorism and therefore invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the accused individuals.