NIA ARRESTS ACTIVIST IN 2010 HANDCHOPPING CASE IN KERALA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested and booked a 47-yearold Kerala resident under terrorism charges for his alleged involvement in the chopping off of a professor’s hand in 2010.

The accused activist Mansoor Aliyar hails from Ernakulam district and is believed to be a member of Muslim outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political wing Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

Several PFI members and leaders were arrested for chopping off the palm of Professor TJ Joseph after he allegedly ridiculed Prophet Mohammed in a Malayalam question paper meant for an internal examination at Newman College, Thodupuzha, Idukki district

In a statement, the NIA said that out of the 31 accused in the case, 13 were “convicted under various offences, including the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act , for committing a terrorist act”. Mansoor was found to be absconding, the agency added.

“On June 1, 2017 NIA had filed the third supplementary charge sheet in this case against six accused persons, including Mansoor, for being party to the criminal conspiracy to attack Professor TJ Joseph by creating terror, facilitating the attack by being members of the terrorist gang, destroying the evidence and harbouring the assailants or other accused persons involved in this crime,” the agency officials said on Saturday.