Kochi (Kerala): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has finally nabbed Savad Meerankutty (38), the first accused in the Thodupuzha hand-chopping case of a professor 13 years after the mayhem.
NIA's Fugitive Tracking Team raided a house in Mattannur and arrested Savad on Tuesday night. The agency had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh to the public for providing any information or tip-off regarding Savad in 2023.
Savad is a native of the Asamannoor village in Ernakulam district. He has been absconding ever since the incident at Newman College, Thodupuzha on July 4, 2010. As per reports, Savad was an active Popular Front of India (PFI) worker.
On March 23, 2010, members of his party chopped off the hand of Professor Joseph alleging blasphemy in a question printed on a question paper set for the B.Com semester examination in Newman College. The workers cut the professor's hand while he was returning home with his family after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha.
A special NIA court had awarded life sentence to the second accused Sajil (36), the third accused M K Nasar (46) and the fifth accused K A Najeeb (42). Savad was the only one absconding and finally, he was nabbed on Tuesday. A three-year jail term has been awarded to P P Moideen Kunju (60), M K Naushad (48) and P M Ayoob (48), three other convicts in the case.
The state police, which primarily investigated the case, and the NIA, which later took over the investigation, found the involvement of PFI workers in the heinous crime. This was upheld by the trial court.
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