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.

"Now, my sister tells me that the Church, the government and the teachers’ organisations have come out with help and I am happy to hear about that," he said.

"The only mistake I made was that I tried to do my work well. I didn’t try to depict any religion in bad light. I love all the religions equally,"Joseph said.

My only prayer is that in future no one else should be exposed to the experiences I went through, he said.