Tragedy Strikes Kerala Convention Center: Death Toll Rises to Three

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the death toll has climbed to three in the aftermath of a series of blasts that rocked a convention center in Kerala’s Kalamassery. On Monday, a 12-year-old girl named Libina, hailing from Kerala’s Ernakulam district, succumbed to her injuries at the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital. Libina was among the over 50 people who were severely injured in the devastating blast that occurred during a Christian religious gathering on Sunday.

Libina’s condition was dire, with severe burns covering a staggering 95 percent of her body, and she was placed on ventilator support at the hospital. Her passing has added to the grief of an already mourning community.

This tragic incident unfolded with two women losing their lives and scores of people sustaining injuries during multiple blasts at a convention center in Kalamassery, situated in the Ernakulam district. The blasts shook the foundations of the center as hundreds of followers of the minority Christian group known as Jehovah’s Witnesses had congregated for the concluding day of a three-day-long prayer meeting.

The repercussions of these blasts have reverberated far beyond Kerala’s borders, as they sent shockwaves across the nation, leading to heightened security alerts in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai. The motive behind the attacks remains unclear, but the aftermath was marked by panic and confusion.

In a significant development, hours after the explosions, a man claiming to be a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses voluntarily surrendered himself to the police in Kerala’s Thrissur district. This surrender may shed some light on the incident, though further investigation is required to establish the facts.

Kerala law enforcement has initiated action to bring those responsible to justice. An FIR has been registered against unknown individuals under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as provisions of the Explosives Act and the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). As the investigation unfolds, the entire nation awaits answers and justice for the victims of this tragic incident.