Indian teacher’s hand cut off for alleged blasphemy

Two men were arrested for an attack on a college teacher who had his hand cut off for alleged blasphemy.

Two men were arrested on Monday for an attack on a college teacher who had his hand cut off for setting an exam question that allegedly insulted Muslims, police said.

TJ Joseph, 52, a lecturer at a private Christian-run college in the southern state of Kerala, has been on bail since April after being arrested over a question in internal exams that some Muslim groups claimed included a blasphemous reference to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

“An eight-member gang blocked his vehicle and chopped off his right arm,” Inspector General B Sandya told AFP. “We suspect a radical Muslim group that targeted him before.” Sandya said two of the attackers have been arrested. Five doctors worked for 16 hours to re-attach Joseph’s hand, but the outcome of the operation is uncertain.

In the Kerala Assembly, state Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan described the attack as “Taliban-type” and “barbaric”. Newman College declined to reveal the question to avoid further inflaming religious tensions.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2010.