Al Haqeeqa
By Muslim Mirror Staff
At the convention centre in Kalamassery, Kerala, multiple explosions took place during a prayer meeting on October 29 resulting in one fatality and at least 45 people sustaining injuries.
The Kerala Police said that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the source of these fatal explosions, with the explosives concealed in a “tiffin box,” as per sources cited by NDTV.
The chain of events began at 9:40 AM when the first explosion occurred, according to sources with knowledge of the case. Eyewitnesses recounted that several more explosions followed the initial blast, plunging the congregation into chaos and fear.
Kerala Minister PA Mohamed Riyas stated, “Kerala Police is investigating all aspects of the case.” However, he declined to divulge further details from the preliminary investigation.
The police confirmed that a 48-year-old man named Dominic Martin had surrendered and claimed responsibility for the blasts. His assertion is currently under verification.
Kerala ADGP (Law and Order) MR Ajith Kumar said, “One person has surrendered in Kodakra 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 senior police official said that all relevant agencies, including central agencies, were actively involved in the ongoing investigation.
The incident claimed the life of a woman who succumbed to burn injuries, while at least five of the injured individuals are in serious condition. State Health Minister Veena George directed health workers to report for duty, regardless of their leaves, to address the crisis.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his concern in a statement, deeming the event “very unfortunate” and assuring that the government was treating it with utmost seriousness. He added, “I have spoken to the DGP (Director General of Police). We need to get more details after the investigation.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reached out to Vijayan following the blasts to assess the situation. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG) to support the state government in the investigation.
