IED Blast At A Convention Center In Kochi, One Dead, Several Injured

A tragic incident occurred at a convention center of a Christian group in Kalamassery, Kerala's Ernakulam, resulting in one fatality and around 36 people sustaining injuries. The explosion took place during a prayer meeting organized by the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Kerala DGP Sheikh Darvesh Sahib has said that preliminary investigation reveals it to be an IED Blast and more information would be given after a detailed investigation is done.

Ernakulam Collector NSK Umesh told OneIndia that total 36 people have been injured with 10 admitted to the Burn Unit of Kalamasseri Medical College. Of these, two people including a child are in a critical condition having been burnt over 50 percent.

The cause of the blast is still under investigation, with top police officials, including representatives from the Kerala Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), at the scene. Reports indicate that the authorities received a distress call around 9 a.m. following the explosion.

Television visuals captured fire rescue and police personnel working tirelessly to evacuate individuals from the location. Many people were seen outside the convention center after the incident.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed his deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as unfortunate. He assured that his government is actively gathering information about the situation. He stated, "It's a very unfortunate incident. We are collecting details regarding the incident. All top officials are there in Ernakulam. DGP is moving to the spot. We are taking it very seriously. I have spoken to DGP. We need to get more details after the investigation."

The site of the blast has been secured and cordoned off, with both the police and fire rescue teams responding swiftly to manage the situation. Additionally, Kerala's Health Minister has called upon all government healthcare professionals to report for duty following the incident, underlining the seriousness of the situation. The investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing, and further details are awaited as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.