Controversial question paper: Professor’s hand cut off

Muvattupuzha: A college professor, currently on bail for preparing a inflammatory question paper disgracing prophet Muhammad, had his right palm chopped off by a group of eight unidentified people Sunday morning, police said.
T.J. Joseph was returning home with his family after attending morning prayers in a Nirmala Matha Church Muvattupuzha, when a group of people in a van pulled him out of his car. Joseph’s right palm was chopped off and left lag was deeply injured. Muvattupuzha S.I and other policemen find out the palm some 200 meters away and rushed to a private hospital in Muvatupuzha and then to a specialty hospital at Kochi for a surgery to reattach the palm.
Joseph is on bail after being arrested by the police in April for preparing a question paper with alleged inflammatory references to Prophet Mohammed for an exam in a private college. Joseph, a Malyalam teacher, was suspended by Thodupuzha New Man College after protest marches by various Muslim organizations.
Mary Stella, Joseph’s sister, and mother Elikkuti were in the car with Joseph.
Home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the attackers must be brought to book soon. He had directed IG Sandhya to investigate the matter and submit a report. The police have strengthened the investigations centered on Ernakulam and Idukki districts.