Islamic group blamed for attack on lecturer

Kochi: Activists of a fundamentalist Islamic group called the Popular Front have been blamed for the attack on a college lecturer, whose right hand was chopped off on Monday allegedly because he had prepared a question paper mentioning Prophet Mohammed.

T J Joseph, a Malayalam lecturer, was attacked at Muvattupuzha in the district on Sunday while he was returning from a church along with his sister and mother. 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.

The two men under arrest for the attack on Joseph, 52, are members of Popular Front, Karala Police said on Tuesday. The police said they have raided the Front's offices across Kerala as part of their investigation on the attack on Joseph.

Kerala teacher\'s right hand was chopped off allegedly because he had prepared a question paper mentioning Prophet Mohammed..

Joseph was briefly arrested by the police in April for preparing a question paper for B.Com II year internal exams at the Thodupuzha New Man College.

The college suspended him after angry protests by Muslim organisations.

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