The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested the main accused in the Kerala professor hand-chopping case of 2010, officials said.

Savad, who was on the run for the last 13 years and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh, was arrested from Mattannur in Kerala's Kannur, the agency said in a statement.

Professor TJ Joseph's palm was chopped off in Idukki for allegedly ridiculing Prophet Mohammed in a question paper for internal examination.

"Savad was identified as the main accused in the infamous 2010 case of attempted murder of Professor TJ Joseph by chopping off his palm. He was charge-sheeted on 10th January 2011 in the case, one of the earliest such incidents in India reflecting the ideology of violent extremism being pursued by the Popular Front of India (PFI)," NIA spokesperson said.

Nineteen accused have so far been convicted for various offences under IPC and UA(P) Act in the case.

Of them, three have been convicted for life and 10 others sent to eight years Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) and fine.

"All the accused in the case were either leaders or activists/cadres of the now banned PFI and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), and were actively involved in the criminal conspiracy relating to the lethal attack on Professor TJ Joseph at Muvattupuzha," the spokesperson said.

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