Tragedy Strikes Kerala: One casuality, Dozens Injured in Convention Center Blast

A tragic incident occurred in the Kalamassery region of Kochi, Kerala, where one person lost their life and more than 20 individuals sustained injuries in a series of explosions at a prayer gathering of Jehovah on a Sunday morning. According to Kalamassery’s CI Vibin Das, the first explosion happened at approximately 9 am, followed by multiple subsequent blasts within the next hour, as reported by the ANI news agency. The incident took place on the final day of a three-day meeting that commenced on October 27. Authorities have confirmed that over 2,000 people were present at the prayer meeting when these explosions occurred. According to officials over 2,000 people were attending the prayer meeting when the blasts took place.

Addressing the incident, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, “It’s a very unfortunate incident. We are collecting details regarding the incident. All top officials are there in Ernakulam. We are taking it very seriously. I have spoken to DGP. We need to get more details after the investigation.”

Home Minister, Amit Shah has issued directives for the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to dispatch teams to Kerala in order to aid the state government in the aftermath of the explosion at the convention center, as per sources cited by PTI. Kerala ministers V N Vasavan and Antony Raju have also affirmed the presence of federal agencies, including the NIA, at the blast site, according to PTI reports.

Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, has issued orders to both the Director of the Health Department and the Director of the Medical Education Department to ensure the provision of top-notch medical care to those affected by the Kalamassery explosion. Hospitals have been kept on high alert, with the minister urging all healthcare professionals, including doctors who may be on leave, to return promptly. Additionally, directives were given to enhance the facilities at Kalamassery Medical College, Ernakulam General Hospital, and Kottayam Medical College to accommodate the injured, as stated by the Kerala Health Minister.