Kerala rocked by blasts at Christian prayer meet, 2 dead

Kochi: Two women died and 51 persons were injured, some seriously, in multiple blasts at a Christian religious gathering in a convention centre near this port city on Sunday morning, sending shockwaves across Kerala.

The blasts took place at an international convention centre in Kalamassery where hundreds of followers of the minority Christian group Jehovah's Witnesses had assembled on the concluding day of a three-daylong prayer meeting.

A few hours after the incident, a man claiming to be a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, saying that he carried out the multiple blasts.

Police has registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC as well as provisions of the Explosives Act and the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Later in the day, state Health Minister Veena George said that of the 51 injured, 18 were in ICUs. Of the 18, six -- including a 12-year-old child -- were in critical condition with three of them having suffered over 90 per cent burns.

ADGP Law and Order M R Ajith Kumar told reporters here that a man named Dominic Martin had surrendered at Kodakara police station in the morning, claiming he set off the blasts.

A police source told PTI that there were three blasts, of which two were strong and the third was of low intensity.

On being asked whether tiffin boxes were used for packing the explosives as claimed by some reports, the source said it cannot be confirmed as the blast site was being examined by multiple agencies.

'Martin' puts out video message

A man claiming to be a member of Jehovah's Witnesses put up a video message on a social media platform claiming responsibility for the multiple blasts.

Identifying himself as Martin, the man alleged that he took the decision as the teachings of the organisation were "seditious."

Meanwhile, a person claiming to be a member of the group told a TV channel that no such person was part of their organisation. "

The man said he had been part of the Jehovah's Witnesses for 16 years."Back then I did not take it seriously and went along with them just as a joke. Around six years ago, I realised they were not a good organisation and their teachings were seditious," he alleged.

He claimed he had told the organisation several times to correct its teachings, but it was not ready to do so.

In the news...3 decades ago

Jehovah's witnesses were in the news previously -- three decades ago -- when three children who are members of the group had filed pleas in the courts, firstly in the Kerala High Court and then in the Supreme Court, challenging their school authority's disciplinary action against them for allegedly disrespecting the national anthem.

They were excused from singing the anthem at school, as the court ruled that compelling them violated their right to religion. (PTI)