Kerala: Kalamassery Convention Center Rocked by Explosions; One Dead, Many Injured
Ernakulam, 29th October 2023: A series of explosions struck a convention center in Ernakulam, Kerala, during a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Kalamassery police have confirmed one fatality and multiple injuries in the blasts that occurred on the last day of a three-day meeting.
The first explosion rattled the center around 9 a.m., followed by subsequent blasts over the next hour. At the time of the incident, over 2,000 people were present, with one person reported dead. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, a sect of Christianity with distinct beliefs, were conducting their prayer meeting when the explosions occurred.
Kalamassery CI Vibin Das reported the timeline of events, indicating that the blasts disrupted the Sunday meeting. The situation prompted Union Home Minister Amit Shah to speak with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, urging the immediate involvement of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and National Security Guard (NSG) to investigate the incident.
Kerala Leader of Opposition (LOP) and State Congress President VD Satheesan provided additional details, mentioning two explosions and a subsequent fire. The first explosion was more substantial, leading to one casualty and 25 people hospitalized, with six in the ICU.
CM Vijayan expressed his condolences, terming the incident as unfortunate. He assured that authorities are actively collecting information, with top officials already on-site, including the Director-General of Police (DGP).
Notably, the explosions occurred a day after Khaled Mashal, former chief of the terrorist group Hamas, addressed a rally online in Kerala. Social media platforms saw claims of Mashal allegedly provoking people. Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon responded, suggesting the inclusion of Hamas in India’s terrorist list.
The situation remains fluid, with investigations underway to determine the cause and any potential links to the recent online address by the former Hamas leader.
