Six convicted in Kochi prof hand chopping case
The attack took place while the professor was returning home with his family after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Ernakulam.
Nasser, one of the convicts, being taken to jail, in Kochi, Wednesday
KOCHI: A special NIA court in Kerala on Wednesday convicted six persons, who are allegedly members of now banned radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), in the sensational hand-chopping case of a college professor in Kerala in 2010.
Special NIA court judge Anil K Bhaskar found three of them; Sajil, Nasar and Najeeb; guilty of offences under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) as well as attempted murder, conspiracy and various other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Explosive Substances Act in the second phase of the trial in the case.
In the first phase of the trial in the case, 10 persons were convicted for offences under the UAPA as well as the Explosive Substances Act and the IPC and three others were found guilty of harbouring the offenders.
In the latest order, the court noted the second accused Sajil took part in the attack while third accused Nasar, the main conspirator, and fifth accused Najeeb had planned the “terrorist act” but did not take part in it.
Three others; Noushad, Ayoob and Moideen Kunhu; were found guilty of the offences of intentionally not giving information about a crime and harbouring offenders under the IPC. The punishments to those convicted would be pronounced on Thursday.
Professor Joseph whose palm was chopped off over a college question paper insists he bears no ill-will against his attackers, although the incident had a fallout on his life including that of his spouse’ suicide. He lost his job for a while that in turn resulted in his wife’s suicide. He said those convicted “were only the weapons” and the actual culprits are yet to be found.
The attack took place while the professor was returning home with his family after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Ernakulam.
PFI attack: Hand-chopped Kochi professor has no ill-will against convicts
Professor TJ Joseph, whose right hand was chopped off back in 2010 by alleged activists of now banned Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), still bears no ill-will against his attackers whose actions not only impaired the functioning of his palm, but also led to him losing his job for a while that in turn resulted in his wife’s suicide.
Joseph firmly believes that his life was not destroyed by what happened 13 years ago, but admitted that it did suffer some losses.
“Losses are inevitable in any battle. Even for those who are victorious, like me. But I will keep fighting,” he told reporters after a special NIA court on Wednesday convicted six persons, who are allegedly members of PFI, in the sensational hand chopping case in the second phase of the trial in the matter.
Five others were acquitted by the court. In the first phase of the trial in the case, 13 persons were convicted for various offences ranging from those under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to the Explosives Substances Act and the IPC.
He further said those caught and convicted in the case “were only the weapons” and the real culprits who engineered the attack are still out there. “It is against them that my battle continues,” Joseph said. The professor said that just like him, the accused in the case were also victims to their beliefs.