Man Who Chopped Kerala Professor's Hand For Allegedly Insulting Prophet Finally Arrested By NIA

On Wednesday (10 January), National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested absconding first accused in the Kerala professor hand chopping case, 13 years after the crime, according to a report from Indian Express.

Savad, a native of Ernakulam rural district and an activist of Popular Front of India (PFI), was the only accused still on the run whereas more than 50 other accused were arrested and charge-sheeted before.

He has been accused of chopping off the right palm of victim, T J Joseph, on 4 July 2010 for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammed in a internal exam question paper at Newman College, Thodupuzha.

NIA is now gearing itself to submit another supplementary chargesheet in court. Earlier, it had launched a comprehensive hunt for Savad in India and abroad.

This arrest has taken place one year after central government placed PFI under a ban.

NIA after taking over probe from Kerala Police labelled the attack as act of terrorism and filed UAPA against the accused.

The NIA court had sentenced three people to life imprisonment and three others to three years in jail in July last year.