Chopping Off Hands A Modus Operandi? Kerala Police Book Sunni Muslim Students' Wing Leader For Violent Remarks

A leader of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) had warned of chopping off the hands of anyone who poses challenges to the organisation. Kerala Police has registered a case against him.

The case was registered under the IPC (Indian Penal Code) section 153 (wantonly giving provocation, with intent to cause riot) on Saturday (13 January) against Sathar Panthaloor on an individual's complaint.

SKSSF is the students' wing of Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, an organisation of eminent Sunni scholars. It has the highest support base among Kerala Muslims, The New Indian Express reported.

Complaint against the SKSSF leader was sent to the Malappuram Superintendent of Police (SP) and it alleged that statement could lead to incitement of violence between different groups.

At a programme, he said, "The activists of the SKSSF will come forward to chop off the hands of anyone who tries to give a blow or cause difficulties to the eminent scholars and ustads of the Samastha."

This controversy comes amid reigniting of the Kerala professor TJ Joseph's hand-chopping case over blasphemy allegations where the accused was arrested 13 years after the crime.

However, the accused is not related to SKSSF, instead is known to have connection with Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), seen as the political wing of the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI).

SKSSF enjoys friendly relations with the Congress. Last year, the organisation had honoured Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor with Sahityotsav Puraskaram.