‘Opened my eyes to see fire, smoke...’: Eyewitnesses recall Kerala serial blast horror
- Several eyewitnesses claim they heard multiple explosions in the convention centre.
At least one woman was killed, and 36 others injured in the blasts triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) at the prayer meeting at Jehovah’s Witnesses at a convention center in Kerala's Kochi, said police on Sunday.
Stating about the incident, an eyewitness VK Michael, a man in his 50s, said that he closed his eyes for the opening prayer on the final day of a three-day zonal conference of the Christian group Jehovah’s Witnesses at a convention center.
Adding more, he said that nearly 2,500 others present at the conference also closed their eyes in unison, and barely a minute into the prayer, there was a loud blast inside the hall.
“I was shaken, and I opened my eyes to see fire and smoke in the hall. It took place in the middle of the hall near where the console was placed. I was just five rows behind,” Hindustan Times quoted Michael as saying, who was dressed in a purple shirt and black cotton pants, as he recalled an incident outside the Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery.
ALSO READ: Kerala blasts: Who is Dominic Martin, the man who claimed to have detonated bombs at prayer meet?
“Just two seconds later, there was a second blast and more fire and smoke. Without panicking and creating chaos, we slowly made our way to the exit doors. We are always given specific instructions from the organizers at these meetings on what to do during a fire or explosion. So, we followed their instructions and got out,” he added.
Soon after the explosion, Michael packed his family including his wife and two children in an autorickshaw while he waited to take out his private vehicle, the report added.
He even added that many could not take out their vehicles as police secured the premises of the convention center after the explosion.
Meanwhile, several eyewitnesses claim they heard multiple explosions in the convention center.
Quoting a person present at the convention center, India Today reported, "The blast took place in the center of the hall. I heard three noises from the blast. I was at the backside. There was a lot of smoke. I heard a woman has died."
A similar statement was made by another person who was seated on the front side of the hall.
He said, as quoted by IT, "There are six entry and exit points in the hall. I was seated in the front. Suddenly, an explosion took place. We all rushed out safely, but there was a lot of smoke everywhere. The fire that broke out did not spread to the entire hall and was restricted to the place where the blast took place."
Outside the convention center in Kalamassery, a middle-aged woman from Kadavanthra, wishing not to be named, said that she heard at least three successive blasts within seconds during the morning prayer.
“We were seated towards the rear of the hall. When I opened my eyes, there was fire and smoke in the middle of the hall. Everyone was confused as to what happened. Soon, the smoke engulfed the hall, and it became difficult to breathe, especially for the elderly,” HT quoted her as saying.
“We first allowed those who were injured to be escorted out of the hall and then we moved towards the exit doors. I saw a couple of the injured and they were in a bad state with burn injuries,” she added.
According to initial visuals inside the hall, fire in the middle could be seen with thick plumes of smoke rising upwards. Also, dozens of chairs were strewn around, indicating the panic of the attendees following the blasts.
Kuriachan KM, who came from Angamaly town with his family, said, "Every year, we have such regional conferences with prayers, symposiums, and talks. This year’s theme was ‘kshama’ or patience. There are trained speakers who talk about different topics. It’s like sitting in a school classroom.”
“I cannot believe something like this could happen at our event. It has never happened before in Kerala. I don’t know why anyone would do such a thing,” he said.
Accused surrenders:
Meanwhile, claiming responsibility for the explosion, a man named Dominic Martin, a native of Kochi, surrendered hours after the blast at the Kodakara police station in Thrissur district.
He claimed to be a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and submitted some evidence linking his role to the attack which is being examined.
What do police say?
According to preliminary investigation, the explosives were filled in a tiffin box and the first blast was reported at 9:40 am. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was used in the attack, Kerala DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb said.
"We are examining it," he added.
With agency inputs.
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Business NewsNewsIndia‘Opened my eyes to see fire, smoke...’: Eyewitnesses recall Kerala serial blast horror
First Published:29 Oct 2023, 09:14 PM IST
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