A man identified as Dominic Martin has surrendered himself to authorities in Thrissur Rural, Kerala, claiming responsibility for the series of devastating blasts that occurred during a prayer meet at a convention center in Kalamassery. The incident resulted in one death and left 40 others injured. While Martin has said his involvement, the police have yet to confirm his role in the blasts, emphasizing the ongoing investigation.
Kerala ADGP (law and order) MR Ajith Kumar provided initial details, stating, “One person has surrendered in Kodakara Police Station, in Thrissur Rural, claiming that he has done it. His name is Dominic Martin, and he claims that he belonged to the same group of sabha. We are verifying it. We are looking into all aspects of this case…The blast took place in the central part of the hall.”
The explosives used in the attack were concealed in a tiffin box, and the first blast occurred at 9:40 am. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was utilized in the incident, according to Kerala DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan responded to the event by calling for an all-party meeting at 10 am on Monday at the Secretariat. He is expected to lead a high-level meeting to address the situation.
Chief Minister Vijayan said, “It’s a very unfortunate incident. We are collecting details regarding the incident. All top officials in Ernakulam are there. We are taking it very seriously. I have spoken to the DGP, and we will get more details after the investigation.”
Eyewitnesses present at the prayer meeting recounted the terrifying experience, noting that they heard multiple explosions, followed by a fire breaking out.
