Family of Indian professor ‘forgives’ attackers

ICC Note

Professor TJ Joseph’s right hand was cut off by eight suspected Islamists who accused him of blaspheming the name of the prophet Muhammad.

07/08/2010 India (BBC News)-The family of a professor in southern India whose hand was cut off by suspected Islamic extremists have told the BBC they forgive his attackers.

Professor TJ Joseph was attacked by eight people on Sunday as he was returning home from church with his mother and his sister, who is a nun.

Police believe that Prof Joseph was attacked because he was accused of insulting Islam in an exam paper.

‘More injuries’

Two activists of the predominantly Muslim Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested on Monday in connection with the attack.

“My father is still in intensive care but the family forgives his attackers,” Prof Joseph’s daughter, Amy, told the BBC.

“He has lost his right arm below the elbow and requires more surgery.

“We think that this attack has happened because of a misunderstanding in the exam paper which did not contain any derogatory reference to the Prophet Muhammad.”