Assailant in Kerala hand chopping case arrested

In a major breakthrough, one of the seven persons who allegedly carried out the Taliban-style attack on a college lecturer in Moovattupuzaha, Kerala, has been arrested by the special investigation team probing the case.

Acting on information, the personnel of the special investigation team took into custody Shamsudeen alias Shamsu of Arackapady in Ernakulam district from Ukkadam on the outskirts of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu on Thursday night, Superintendent of Police S P Unnirajan said.

T J Joseph was attacked by a seven-member gang and his right hand chopped off on July 4 for allegedly preparing a question paper with derogatory references to Prophet Mohammad. Police said that during interrogations, Shamsu had confessed to his direct involvement in the attack and revealed the names of his six accomplices who took part in the attack.

Though the police had earlier arrested 24 people, most of them activists of the radical Popular Front of India, the seven assailants remained elusive.

In Kochi, the Kerala high court on Friday dismissed the bail application of Dr Renif of Aluva, an accused in the case. Justice K Hema said granting bail to the accused at this stage would adversely affect further investigations.