Contesting from prison, an accused in the sensational case of chopping off the hand of Thodupuzha Newman college lecturer T J Joseph has won from a block panchayat division in Ernakulam in the civic body elections. Anas won from the Vanchinad division of Vazhakkulam block in Ernakulam district on a ticket of the Socialist Democratic Party of India, the political arm of the Popular Front of India, whose activists were allegedly behind the attack on Joseph.