NE NEWS SERVICE
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT 29
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday announced a special 20-member team to probe the blast that took place at a convention center in Kalamassery, killing two persons and injuring more than 40 people. He called all-party meeting on Monday.
The meeting will be held at the CM’s conference hall in the state secretariat at 10 am.
“What happened in Kalamassery is very unfortunate. Currently, 41 people are hospitalised, 27 people admitted in Ernakulam Medical College…4 people discharged. 2 people have died, and 5 are critical. A special team led by ADGP Law and Order will be investigating this incident…20 members will be in the investigating team. An all-party-meeting has been called for tomorrow”, he said at a briefing in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Two women have been killed and over 40 injured in the blast
- CM Pinarayi Vijayan calls all-party meeting on Monday
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken to Vijayan and assured of all help from the Centre in investigating the perpetrators of the blast
Hundreds of followers of Jehovah’s Witnesses had assembled at the centre on the concluding day of their three-day-long prayer meeting.
According to the preliminary probe, an improvised explosive device (IED) was used to carry out the blasts, State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb told reporters.
“This morning at 9.40 am approximately, there was an explosion in Zamrah International Convention Centre in Kalamassery in which one person died and 36 people are undergoing treatment as per our information,” the DGP said.
Saheb said police are examining all angles and that only after an investigation can he confirm whether it was a terror act.
Chief Minister Vijayan, who is in Delhi to attend a CPI(M) central committee meeting, termed the incident as “unfortunate”.
Two women lost their lives and over 40 injured in an IED blast at Zamra International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery around 9:30am during a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses, attended by over 2,000 people.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken to Vijayan and assured of all help from the Centre in investigating the perpetrators of the blast.
However, a man named Dominic Martin surrendered before the Kokadra police station, claiming responsibility for the bomb attack. Kerala’s ADG (law and order) M R Ajith Kumar said the man gave evidence supporting his claim and the police were examining that as well as his claims and the reasons he gave for carrying out the act. Prior to surrendering before the police, the man also put out a video message on a social media platform claiming responsibility for the blasts and stating his reasons.
He released a video stating that the group’s preachings were “seditious” and that they did not heed his warnings to change their ways.
