Indian police looking into two-deadlier bomb attacks in Kerala

Indian police are looking into two deadlier bomb attacks in Kerala.
The incident unfolded during a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention in Kalamassery.

Preliminary investigations indicated that improvised explosive devices were used.

A man who claimed to be a former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses was detained for questioning in connection with the detonation of homemade bombs during a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The incident, which occurred on a Sunday, tragically resulted in the deaths of two women and left dozens of others injured.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan later reported a second fatality and revealed that 17 individuals were in intensive care, with five of them in critical condition. The health minister, Veena George, also mentioned that a 12-year-old girl with 95% burns was in critical condition.

The suspect, identified as Dominic Martin, posted a video on Facebook in which he claimed responsibility for the attacks. He subsequently surrendered at a police station in Thrissur district, approximately 40 km (25 miles) from the site of the explosions.

However, the police public relations officer, Pramod Kumar, stated that while Dominic was in custody, they had not yet formally arrested him. The investigation was ongoing, and authorities were working to confirm his involvement.

The incident unfolded during a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention in Kalamassery, located about 10 km (6 miles) northeast of Kochi city.

A regional spokesperson for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, TA Sreekumar, clarified that Dominic Martin was not a registered member of their group. The convention had approximately 2,300 attendees, but it was unclear whether Martin had been present.

Dominic Martin claimed responsibility for the bombings, citing his opposition to what he perceived as the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ “antinational” teachings, a belief he had held for about six years.

Preliminary investigations indicated that improvised explosive devices were used, as reported by Kerala’s Director General of Police, Shaik Darvesh Saheb.

Chief Minister Vijayan emphasized the seriousness of the incident and noted that a special investigative team of 20 members was working on the case. He expected to provide further updates following an all-party meeting scheduled for the next morning.

The explosions occurred shortly after a prayer session as part of the day’s event. The first blast occurred in the middle of the hall, followed by two more simultaneous explosions on either side of the hall, according to TA Sreekumar.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are an international Christian denomination founded in the United States around 1870, primarily known for their door-to-door evangelism efforts. They claim to have around 60,000 followers in India.

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Indian police looking into two-deadlier bomb attacks in Kerala

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