Kerala serial blasts: Death toll reaches 3
The death toll in the recent Kerala serial blasts has risen to 3 as a 12-year-old girl, who was receiving treatment at the hospital, succumbed to her injuries.
Kochi: The death toll in the recent Kerala serial blasts has risen to 3 as a 12-year-old girl, who was receiving treatment at the hospital, succumbed to her injuries.
The deceased minor, identified as Libina from Malayattoor in Ernakulam district succumbed to her injuries early on Monday at the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital. She had suffered severe burns covering 95% of her body, and despite receiving ventilator support, her condition continued to deteriorate.
On Sunday, a series of three explosions shook the Kalamassery convention centre, where hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a minority Christian group, had gathered for the conclusion of a three-day-long prayer meeting. These blasts resulted in three fatalities and left over 50 people injured.
A man identified Dominic Martin has claimed responsibility for the blasts and surrendered to the police in the Thrissur district. However, the police have yet to confirm his involvement, and an ongoing interrogation is in progress. Martin released a video on social media before surrendering, where he explained that he targeted the Christian sect because he believed their ideas and teachings were “dangerous to the country” and were “poisoning young minds.”
Preliminary investigations suggest that the blasts were caused by an improvised explosive device (IED). The device contained an explosive component that triggered a fire. A definitive identification of the explosive material can only be made after a detailed forensic examination, according to Kerala authorities.
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It was reported that the device was found in a tiffin box. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a high-level all-party meeting at 10 AM in the Secretariat to address the situation. Teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG), as ordered by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have been dispatched to Kerala to assist local law enforcement with the investigation.
An NSG team with two senior officials from Delhi has been sent to Kerala, including experts from the National Bomb Data Center, to assess the situation and aid in the ongoing investigation.
Ms Kalinga