By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: Two persons have been remanded for two weeks by a court in the case related to the attack on college professor TJ Joseph. Jafar and Ashraf, the accused, are reportedly charged with attempt to murder, conspiracy etc. Meanwhile, the CI in charge of the case received threatening phone calls from unknown people. The police today raided the house of a leader of the Popular Front of India in Ernakulam in connection with the case.
Around 30 persons have been reportedly questioned by the police in connection with the case of chopping the palm of Professor TJ Joseph, accused in the controversial question paper issue. The police version is that Jafar was entrusted to hand over the vehicle to Ashraf after the attack was carried out. Jafar was caught by the police from Perumbavur before he handed it over. The two were caught by the police by Sunday night itself but was made public only yesterday. The two accused were presented before the magistrate and remanded yesterday afternoon. The police reportedly stated that the accused had planned to kill Joseph. The police have charged them with attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, keeping explosives etc.
There are also reports that the police today raided the house of a district leader of the PFI in connection with the case. Meanwhile, CI Famous Varghese, in charge of the case, received threatening phone calls from unknown persons.
Strong measures would be taken against those responsible for the attack on the professor, said Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in the Assembly. The investigation would cover the allegation that there had been failure in giving protection to the professor who had been receiving threats lately.
Meanwhile, the Popular Front of India yesterday held a march to the office of the DySP in Muvattupuzha. The march was reportedly organized to protest against the police move to torture innocents in the name of the case. Law was applicable to all and justice should be ensured wherever violence has taken place, said Kanjar Abdurrazaq Moulvi, inaugurating the dharna. The PFI will defend the move to hunt Muslim youth in the name of the case, said the party’s state committee member MK Ashraf.
Professor Joseph, lecturer of Malayalam in the Newman College in Thodupuzha, was returning from Church in his hometown Muvattupuzha on Sunday morning with his mother and sister when a group of about 10 people attacked him. The gang pulled him off his car and chopped his right palm off. They threw the chopped off part away and left the place soon. Joseph was rushed to a hospital in Muvattupuzha and then to a plastic surgery hospital in Ernakulam. The chopped off palm of Joseph was yesterday successfully fixed after a 16-hour long surgery in Ernakulam. However, whether the hand can function properly can be said only after a week.
Joseph was accused in the controversial question paper issue in which a question insulting Prophet Muhammed was included in the question paper. When a case was registered, Joseph fled the police first, but was later caught and is now on bail. The Catholic Church leadership in the state apologized publicly after it found that Joseph was guilty. The case against the lecturer was going smoothly when the sudden attack took place on Sunday.