Kalamassery (Kerala): A woman worshipper was killed and 45 others were injured in three blasts taking place in quick succession at a convention centre in Kalamassery, Ernakulam district in Kerala Sunday October 29, 2023.
The series of bomb blasts occurred when over 2000 people were present for Jehovah's Witnesses Convention at Zamra International Centre located some 10 km from Kochi.
The first explosion occurred at around 09.30 am, followed by two more explosions in the next few minutes, local media reported.
Officials said explosives had been placed inside a tiffin box.
Eyewitnesses present at the convention centre told reporters that the first blast occurred in the middle of a prayer.
Videos filmed right after the blast and shared online showed fire inside the convention center and rescuers helping people evacuate the building.
The wounded, many of them with burn injuries, were transported to hospitals for treatment.
Dominic Martin, 48, claimed responsibility of the blasts during the Christian prayer meeting and has surrendered. Dominic claimed that he belongs to the same Christian denomination that organised the prayer meet, according to NDTV.
“One man surrendered before police claiming to be responsible for blasts at Christian religious gathering in Kerala”, ADGP Law and Order MR Ajith Kumar is quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
Giving more details about the tragic incident, Kerala Minister VN Vasavan confirmed the death of the woman and said she died due to fire.
"A woman has died due to fire, not from the blast. Preliminary analysis states that two blasts took place consecutively. One person is in the hospital. A total of 36 people are in the casualty, admitted to Aster medicity, Rajagiri and Sunrise”, he said.
“It is an unusual accident. All agencies are here for preliminary examination”, he added.
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