Kochi, Oct 30: The death toll in the multiple blasts that happened at a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Kalamassery on Sunday morning rose to 3 with the death of a 12-year-old girl at 12.40 am on Monday.
The girl, who succumbed to her injuries at Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital, has been identified as Libina from Malayattoor in Ernakulam district.
On Sunday evening, 56-year-old Kumari Pushpan, hailing from Thodupuzha, succumbed to burn injuries at a hospital here.
The woman who died on the spot during the blast has been identified as 55-year-old Liyona Poulose, hailing from Iringol in Perumbavoor.
Out of the 52 injured people who were taken to various hospitals, 33 are still undergoing treatment. Seriously injured, 18 are in the ICU. The condition of the four is very critical.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called an all-party meeting on Monday to discuss issues related to multiple blasts.
The meeting will be held at the Conference Hall of the Government Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kerala DGP Shaik Darves said strict action will be taken against those who spread provocative news on social media, causing communal hatred.
He also said a 20-member SIT team has been constituted to investigate the blast at the Kalamassery convention centre in Kochi. He also admitted that the preliminary investigation on blasts shows that it is an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).
The blasts occurred a few days after the state-wide protest by various Muslim organisations in Kerala against Israel supporting Hamas and Palestine.
There were reports that Hamas terrorist Khaled Mashal attended an online meeting organised by pro-Palestine supporters in Kerala.
Meanwhile, the man who surrendered before the Kodakara Police station and confessed that he planted the IED (Improvised Explosive Device) at the prayer meeting hall has been identified as Dominic Martin, hailing from Thammanam in this City.
Sources said Dominic Martin also posted a live video on his Facebook account just three hours before his surrender at the police station.
In the video, he claimed responsibility for the serial blasts and said that he was going to the police station to surrender.
He also said that the media should not show how the explosion was carried out. After the release of the video, his Facebook page disappeared.
Dominic said he has been a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses for the past several years and has become aware of the spread of wrong ideas in society.
He said he was convinced that Jehovah’s Witnesses were spreading mischief. The video also says that this is a reaction against a wrong idea. Martin says he was taught not to sing the national anthem.
“I believe you are aware of the recent developments. A convention held by Jehovah’s Witnesses has been bombed. I have been with this movement for 16 years. But, six years ago, I realised that it was the wrong movement, and I asked them many times to correct it. But none of them was ready for it,” he said in the video.
Police said the IED was reportedly placed in tiffin boxes inside the prayer hall.
Meanwhile, Kannur police took a man into custody after finding suspicious items in his bag. The Jharkhand native was reportedly on his way to Areekode from Mangaluru.
However, he was released after interrogation.
