"My mother is admitted in the hospital, she came yesterday for the prayer meet. She already has some other issues and now she has got burn injuries on her legs, hands, mouth, and back," said Laxman Prabh, whose family members had come to attend a three-day convention of Jehovah's Witnesses – a Christian denomination – in Kalamassery town of Ernakulam district in Kerala on 27 October.
However, a shocked Prabhu rushed to the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital on the last day of the convention on Sunday, 29 October, after he was informed that three explosions had ripped through the venue Zamra International Centre.
"My sister also suffered burn injuries on both the legs," Prabhu told news agency ANI.
Chaos ensued after at least three Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts took place at the meet, leaving three dead and over 50 people, including children, injured. One of the deceased includes a 12-year-old girl who succumbed to 95 percent burns on her body, the state government said.
Kerala Minister Veena George meets the people injured in the convention centre blast in Kochi, at a hospital in Ernakulam, on Sunday, 29 October.
(Photo: PTI)
While the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG) were deployed to the site of the blasts, along with the Kerala Police, witnesses recounted the horrors at Zamra International Centre.
There were several children and elderly present at the meet, witnesses said.
'Saw a Fireball': What Witnesses Recalled
Cooperation Minister VN Vasavan said most of the injured are from Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Thrissur districts.
"When I opened my eyes after hearing the first blast, all I saw was a fireball in front of me. Nothing...nothing more...just a fireball. Everybody ran scattered here and there. It was a sprawling hall, and a large number of people were inside," an unidentified woman told news agency PTI.
Another man in his 70s told the agency that people rushed to the exit immediately after the blast.
"I was standing at the side of the hall, praying with my eyes closed. Suddenly, a shocking blast was heard from nearby. I saw only fire around and ran to the door along with others," he said.
"The blast took place in the centre of the hall. I heard three explosions," another witness told NDTV.
Even as chaos ensued after the blasts and the police and first respondents reached the site, many rushed inside after the blast to look for loved ones and other belongings.
Mobile phones that were left at the venue after the explosion being returned to people.
(Photo: PTI)
Soon after the accident, many, including the organisers, thought it was an accident.
"It was an accident. We all rushed out. That's all that we know. And we all rushed out. We got everybody to safety" Aji, an organising committee member told news agency ANI earlier.
'One Person Claimed Responsibility': What the Police Said
Speaking to the media, Kerala ADGP (law and order) MR Ajith Kumar said that one person has taken responsibility for the attack and has surrendered before the police.
"One person has surrendered in Kodakara Police Station, in Thrissur Rural, claiming that he has done it. His name is Dominic Martin and he claims that he belonged to the same group of sabha. We are verifying it. We are looking into all aspects of this case," he said.
The woman victim died of grievous burn injuries from the blast, he said.
The poilce or the state government has not yet clarified a terror angle on the attacks.
"We are conducting a thorough investigation, we will find out who is behind this and take strict action," Kerala DGP Dr Shaik Darvesh Saheb told the media earlier.
"There was no specific information," he said when asked about the terror angle.
Confirming that a preliminary investigation confirmed an IED blast, he said: "I would reaquest everyone to maintain peace, remain calm, and I also urge that no provocative or hate posts should be posted on social media. If anybody is found doing so, we wil take very stringent action against them also," Saheb said.
According to reports, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and took stock of the situation. He also instructed the NIA and the NSG to reach on the spot and start an inquiry into the incident.
Out of the 52 injured, 18 are in the ICU and six people, including a 12-year-old are critical, Kerala health minister Veena George told the media earlier.
"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," she told ANI.
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