Nation

Kerala: One Killed, Several Injured As Multiple Explosions Rock Prayer Meeting Day After Hamas Rally; Terror Attack Feared

October 29, 2023
Bharat Times

One person died and several people were injured after multiple blasts rocked a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Kalamassery area of Kerala’s Ernakulam this morning. According to reports, over 35 people have been injured. Today being Sunday, christen prayers were being held at the convention centre when the explosions occurred. Sunday was the last day of the three-day meeting, which started on October 27. While Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the blasts assuring of proper investigation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to the CM and took stock of the situation. The Kerala police have also tightened security in the crowded places across the state. 

“It’s a very very unfortunate incident. We are collecting details regarding the incident. All top officials in Ernakulam are there. DGP is moving to the spot. We are taking it very seriously. I have spoken to DGP. We will get more details only after the investigation. As of now, one person has died. Some are in hospital. I will talk later after getting the details,” CM Vijayan said in a statement.

Health Minister Veena George has also directed all hospitals to alert health workers who are on leave to return immediately to tend to those injured in the blast. Kerala DGP Dr Shaik Darvesh Saheb said that the blast took place around 9:40  at Zamra International Convention & Exhibition Centre. “In the convention centre, Jehovah’s Witnesses regional convention was happening. All our senior officers are at the spot. Our additional DGP is also in the way….We are conducting a thorough investigation, we will find out who is behind this and take strict action,” he said. The DGP said that an SIT will be constituted to investigate the blast.

Kalamassery CI Vibin Das reported that the initial explosion occurred at approximately 9 am, followed by multiple blasts over the next hour. It’s estimated that more than 2,000 people were attending a prayer meeting when these explosions occurred. The serial blast led to fire and chaos at the convention centre. The police have cordoned off the area and the forensic team is collecting samples from the site to check the kind of explosives used in the attack. The latest report said that the blasts were of low intensity and were triggered using the IEDs. 

The state police have activated local intelligence and is checking the CCTV footages from all the cameras installed inside and outside the venue to identify the culprits. If this comes out as a terror attack, it will be first major terror attack outside Kashmir since the Narendra Modi government came at the Centre in 2014. Under the Modi government, the terror attacks like blasts have reduced significantly in the country as the NDA government tightened noose around the anti-social organisations and choked their fundings. 

Delhi Police has also put its teams on a high alert after the Kerala blast and Special vigil is being kept in crowded places. “The Special Cell is in constant touch with the intelligence agencies and any input will not be taken lightly. Security arrangements are being made at the crowded place,” said Delhi Police.

The blast happened a day after Khaled Mashal, the former chief of the Hamas group virtually addressed a pro-Palestine protest amidst the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. According to Zee News report, the area where the blast occurred is home to many Jewish people. While any terror group is yet to claim a responsibility for the attack, a terror angle has not been ruled out so far. 

Reacting to the participation of the Hamas leader in the protest on Saturday, Israel’s ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, posted from his X handle, “Mashal calls participants to: Take the streets and show anger, prepare for jihad (against Israel), support Hamas financially, promote Palestinian narrative on social media, it’s time to add #HamasISIS to #India’s terror list.”