Thodupuzha Professor Hand-Chopping Case: NIA Court Sentences 3 Accused to Life Imprisonment

A special NIA court in Kerala on Thursday handed down life imprisonment sentences to three individuals, allegedly associated with the now banned radical Islamic organization Popular Front of India (PFI).

The conviction is in connection with the highly sensational 2010 case, where T J Joseph, a professor at Newman College in Thodupuzha, Idukki district, had his right hand chopped off by alleged activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) on July 4, 2010.

Special NIA court judge Anil K Bhaskar handed down the life imprisonment sentence to Sajil, Nasar, and Najeeb after convicting them on Wednesday for various offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Indian Penal Code, and the Explosive Substances Act in the second phase of the trial.

In the first phase of the trial, ten individuals were convicted for offenses under the UAPA, Explosive Substances Act, and IPC, while three others were found guilty of harboring the offenders.

The court noted during the conviction that Sajil, the second accused, participated in the attack, while Nasar, the third accused and main conspirator, and Najeeb, the fifth accused, planned the “terrorist act” but did not directly partake in it.

The attack occurred when the professor was returning home with his family after attending Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam district. A group of seven attackers pulled him out of the vehicle, assaulted him, and the main accused, Savad, who is still absconding chopped off his right hand.

According to the initial police investigation, the accused intended to kill Joseph due to alleged derogatory remarks about a religion in a question paper he had set for the BCom semester examination at Newman College.