KOCHI, Nov 6 (NDTV) : The man who allegedly masterminded the plan to chop off a Kerala professor's hand five years ago has surrendered at a court in Kochi.

13 people were found guilty in May of the attack on Professor T Joseph, who was walking home from church when he was attacked by members of the extremist Popular Front of India or PFI. 10 of the convicts who were members of the group were sentenced to eight years in prison. MK Nasser, the man accused of designing the attack, had been missing since the assault.

The attack on the professor, who taught Malayalam at a college in the Idukki district, just 10 kms from Kochi, was carried out in retaliation for what the group tagged was a "blasphemous" question included by Professor Joseph in an exam in 2010. A mob of men slashed his hand with knives. His right palm was then stitched back together by doctors.

"I have forgiven everyone. I just intend to live my life as normally as I can in the given circumstances," the professor said to NDTV in May after the conviction.

After the attack, he was suspended by his college based on demands by religious groups. His wife, unable to bear the financial stress and social ostracization, committed suicide. Professor Joseph was then allowed to return to work till he retired last year.