Kochi: One person was killed and over 30 injured in a blast at a convention centre of a Christian group in Kochi, Kerela on Sunday morning. While the cause of the blast is being probed, initial visuals show fire rescue and police personnel in large numbers evacuating people from the site.
Three explosions rocked Kochi during a religious convention of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian group, in Kalamassery on Sunday morning, killing one person and injuring 23 others. The condition of five people is critical.
The incident took place at 9:45 am when more than 2,400 people, including women and children, were attending the convention. The three explosions occurred one after the other soon after the devotees began singing a religious hymn as part of the prayer service.
Teams of counter-terror sleuths and National Security Guards (NSG) have been sent to the Jehovah Witnesses Church in Kalamassery in Kerala after an improvised explosive device exploded at the Sunday prayer meeting this morning. One woman died and another 23 were injured in the first hinterland blast after many years with CT operatives on the spot.
The identity of the person killed has not yet been released. According to Kerela Industries Minister P Rajeev the blast site is cordoned off and police and fire rescue team have been pressed into action. Most of the critically injured people have sustained serious burns and have been rushed to nearby government and private hospitals. The Kerala police have sounded a high alert across all 14 districts in the state following the explosions.
The cause of the explosions is still under investigation, but police have not ruled out the possibility of a terror attack. The Jehovah’s Witnesses is a Christian denomination with over eight million members worldwide. The group is known for its pacifist beliefs and its refusal to participate in military service or salute the flag.
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The explosions in Kerela have sent shockwaves through the Christian community in India. Christian leaders have condemned the attack and called for peace and harmony. The Indian government has also condemned the attack and has pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice.
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