Kalamassery explosion: Kochi resident claims responsibility, surrenders

Kochi: In an important development, a person from Kochi turned himself into the Kerala Police, claiming to be the person responsible for the bombing that occurred at a convention centre in Kalamassery on Sunday.

The man taking responsibility for the explosions has turned himself in at the Trissur police station, according to sources. The accused had stated that he was the one who set the bomb that killed a woman and injured forty others, of whom seven are critically ill.

The police are investigating the man. Sources said that the man came on his own and surrendered before the police. More details are yet to emerge regarding the development.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for an all-party meeting in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to discuss the development.

The investigation into the multiple bomb blasts in Kerala's Kalamassery Convention Centre on Sunday revealed that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) kept in a tiffin box was used to trigger the explosion.

Sources had confirmed that it was an act intended to create terror. About 2,000 people were gathered for prayers at the convention centre at the time of the blast.

A four-member team from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) from Kochi was at the spot. Sources confirmed that the NIA team from New Delhi had left for Kerala to take over the investigation.

According to police, multiple explosions were reported from the spot where the meeting of Jehovah's Witness Believers was held. The blasts had occurred at around 9 a.m. The hall was sealed and Kerala Police Anti-Terror Squad was at the site.

Jehovah's Witnesses are a group of Christians who do not identify themselves as Protestants. The Jehovah's Witness Convention is an annual gathering where large assemblies called Regional Conventions take place which are held for three days. The event had started last Friday and it was supposed to end on Sunday, according to sources.

All injured have been shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kalamassery, sources said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described the incident as "very unfortunate". All aspects will be deeply probed, he underlined.

CM Vijayan, who is in Delhi attending his party meeting, has deputed State Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan.

Vasavan reached the site and told the media that it was a very unfortunate incident and details of the blast were not ascertained as yet. CPI (M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan said the terror angle should be looked into in the incident.

With inputs from IANS