KANNUR: Savad, the primary accused in the case involving the hand-chopping of Prof. TJ Joseph in Thodupuzha, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after 13 years of the incident. The entire country was shocked upon hearing the news that the terrorist had been arrested by the NIA in a small town Mattanur, Kannur district, Kerala.
The investigation team searched for him everywhere, while he was residing in Mattanur with his wife and children. Many expressed that such a criminal cannot hide out in such a small town without any local political support.
The NIA revealed that, despite residing in Kannur under the false name of Shajahan, the birth certificate of his child born nine months ago listed the father’s name as the original ‘Savad.’
The NIA team collected other records such as Aadhar card and other proofs from the residence where Savad had been living. During the investigation, verification of the birth certificate of Savad’s child from the Municipal office confirmed that the home address belonged to Savad, who had been living under the false name of Shajahan.
With this confirmation, the NIA arrived at Savad’s house in Mattanur yesterday morning. When asked for his name, the accused initially replied ‘Shajahan.’ However, further questioning about a stitch mark on his body shoulder, a wound sustained while cutting Prof. Joseph’s hand, Savad confessed that he was living under the guise of Shajahan.
Savad’s wife said that she is a native of Kasaragod and was unaware that he was involved in the case when they got married. However, locals asserted that Savad’s father-in-law is an SDPI activist.
Neighbors recounted that approximately a year and a half ago, he began residing in the rental house, using the name ‘Shajahan.’ Savad and his family paid a monthly rent of Rs 5,000. Locals also mentioned that he works as a daily-wage carpenter, earning around Rs 1,200.
The NIA reports that the ban on Popular Front of India (PFI) by the the government of India due to its terrorist activities, led Savad to a financial crisis. Consequently, he came to Kannur in search of a livelihood and hideout.
According to police records, Prof. TJ Joseph, the former Head of the Malayalam Department at Newman College in Thodupuzha, was assaulted for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad in an internal examination question paper he set for the B Com Second Semester examination at Newman College, Thodupuzha. On July 4, 2010, as the professor and his family were on their way to church on a Sunday, members of the Popular Front severed his right hand and stabbed him in the left leg in front of his family. This incident had sparked extensive discussions regarding Muslim terrorism in Kerala.
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