Explosions at Kerala Convention Centre: Tragic Incident Claims One Life and Injures 36. Tragedy struck a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Kalamassery area of Kochi, Kerala, on a Sunday morning as multiple explosions rocked the gathering. The event, attended by around 2,000 people, witnessed these shocking blasts. As the incident unfolds, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has swiftly deployed a team to investigate the situation.
The heartbreaking event resulted in the loss of one life and left more than 20 individuals injured. Union home minister Amit Shah promptly connected with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to assess the situation.
Kerala’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed his deep sorrow, emphasizing that all top officials are engaged in Ernakulam and taking the incident seriously. “I have spoken to the Director General of Police (DGP). We await further details following the investigation,” said Vijayan.
Here’s What We Know So Far:
- Approximately 2,000 people were present at the convention center when the explosions occurred. The first blast happened at 9:47 am, on the final day of the three-day meeting that commenced on October 27.
- Kerala Police have revealed that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was used in the attack. A special investigation team will be formed to dig deeper into the case, with sources mentioning that the explosives were concealed within a tiffin box.
- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is actively investigating the situation, while a team from the National Security Guard (NSG) is en route to the location.
- Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described the incident as “unfortunate.”
- State Health Minister Veena George has called upon government healthcare professionals to report for duty in response to the blasts.
- Home Minister Amit Shah communicated with the Kerala Chief Minister to discuss the developments and response to the incident.