Kochi: I have forgiven those who chopped off my hand, Prof. T.J. Joseph, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here told Manorama News.

"I had used a selection from the textbook prescribed by the university," he said. The allegation that that it contains insult to a religion is only a misunderstanding, he said.

Joseph said when the controversy broke out there was no one to help him, the professor said. Since I was in jail, I was unable to remove it myself and that is what led to the incident, he said.  read more »

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Manoj Pradhan who was convicted in a Kandhamal communal riots case.

Pradhan, convicted by a fast track court at Phulbani on June 29 and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for seven years for his role in the killing of a Christian man during communal riots in Kandhamal in 2008, got conditional bail from the High Court.  read more »