Kochi:The Special Investigation Team probing the bomb blasts set off at a Christian religious gathering near here at the end of October took the accused on Friday to various places in and around this port city to collect evidence.
Police brought the accused, Dominic Martin, to an electrical products shop at Palarivattom in the city, where he claimed to have purchased some components used to build the improvised explosive device (IED). Four people were killed and over 50 were injured in the blasts at the prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses at a convention centre in Kalamassery near Kochi on October 29.
Martin, who surrendered to the police immediately after the incident, was arrested by the SIT. He was remanded in 10-day police custody by the Principal Sessions court on November 6. A senior police official said that in the coming days, Martin will be taken to various places, including his rented residence at Thammanam in the city, the lodge where he stayed in Thrissur district, and other locations for collecting evidence.
The police said they are investigating Martin's sources of income, international connections, and other related matters. In addition to Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (Punishment for murder) and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) have also been invoked against the accused.
A few hours before surrendering, Martin, who claimed to be an estranged member of the Jehovah's Witnesses himself, posted a video on social media explaining his reasons for carrying out the blasts.
