Kerala blast: Death toll rises to 3, Kerala CM announces 20-member probe team; what we know so far

The death toll rose to three after a 12-year-old succumbed to burn wounds after multiple blasts occurred on Sunday morning (October 30) at a convention centre in Kalamassery in Ernakulam district of Kerala. This explosion also left over 50 people injured as thousands of members of the Christian denomination Jehovah’s Witnesses had gathered for a prayer meeting when the blast occurred.

Meanwhile, a man identified as Dominic Martin took responsibility for the series of blasts and surrendered himself at the Kodakara police station in Thrissur. However, the police have yet to confirm the claims made by Martin. 

Preliminary investigation into the matter has revealed that it was an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. An eyewitness told reporters that the blasts occurred in the middle of the convention centre. The witness also added that the first blast occurred at around 9.30 am, minutes after the prayer began.

Police have filed an FIR in the case under sections 302, 307, Explosive Substances Act, and UAPA in the Kalamassery convention centre blast case, reported India Today. Last night, a National Security Guard (NSG) team also arrived from Delhi at Kerala's Ernakulam at the blast site to investigate the matter.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that a 20-member police team will oversee the investigation. "It is a very unfortunate incident. A 20-member team will investigate the explosion. The investigation charge will be for a team under ADGP Law and Order," he said. 

A 14-member medical board was also formed to oversee the treatment of injured people in the Kerala blasts. "We have 18 patients currently in ICU. They are all stable, but two patients, including a 12-year-old girl who has got 95% burns and a 53-year-old woman who has got 90% burns. A total of 6 people are critically ill," Kerala Health Minister Veena George told the news agency ANI.

After the blasts in Kerala, security was tightened around churches, metro stations and some other crowded areas in Delhi on Sunday. Security has been tightened across the city's main markets, churches, metro stations, bus stands, railway stations, and other public places, a police official told the news agency PTI.

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