Kerala wants NIA to take up lecturer attack case

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai on Monday said Kerala government has asked Centre to take up investigation into the case of chopping off the hand of college lecturer T J Joseph allegedly by activists of radical outfit Popular Front of India.

Speaking to mediapersons after reviewing the functioning of Needakara coastal police station near Kollam, Pillai said Centre would examine the letter of state government with the request and take a decision.

Joseph's was attacked by allegedly by PFI activists for preparing a question paper that hurt sentiments of the Muslim community.

Pillai, who would be meeting top state police later in the day at Thiruvananthapuram, said intelligence report had stated that Maoist group with Waynad as centre was active in the state.

State police could manage the situation, which has not developed into a major threat he said. However, he said religious extremism could pose a major threat to state in future.