An explosion rocked the Zamra International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery, Kerala, during a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses on Sunday, resulting in one death and more than 20 individuals sustaining injuries, according to local police.
The incident unfolded at approximately 9:30 a.m., while over 2,000 worshippers had gathered for the final day of a three-day prayer meeting.
Upon receiving reports of the explosion, fire personnel and a contingent of police arrived at the scene. They discovered the lifeless body of one woman amidst the wreckage.
Teams of counter-terrorism experts and the elite National Security Guards (NSG) were dispatched to the Jehovah’s Witnesses Church to assess the situation and assist with the ongoing investigation.
The injured victims were transported to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kalamassery, as well as several private hospitals, for urgent medical care, as confirmed by local police.
Expressing his condolences, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “It is a highly unfortunate incident. Details are being collected. Top police officials, including the state DGP, are on the way to the spot. We are looking at it seriously. One person has died, and there are several injured.”
While the precise cause of the explosion remains under investigation, eyewitnesses have reported that multiple explosions occurred within the convention centre.
Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, has instructed health department officials to provide the best possible care and treatment to the injured victims. Hospitals have been put on alert, and the minister has called upon all healthcare professionals, including doctors currently on leave, to return immediately to aid in this crisis.
