Kochi: A man surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, claiming responsibility for the multiple blasts at the Christian religious gathering at Kalamassery here on Sunday morning.
The man identified himself as Dominic Martin and claimed he was a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Before surrendering he posted a video on Facebook in which he justified his action. In his message in Malayalam and Hindi, Dominic Martin termed Jehovah's Witnesses as "traitors who spread hatred among children".
He alleged that the Jehovah's Witnesses wished the peril of all humans and were "very dangerous for the country". He claimed that he was with the "believers" for 16 years and urged them to correct themselves. "But they refused...Jehovah are against democracy and democratic systems," he said in the FB message posted shortly after the explosions.
Martin reached the Kodakara police station at around 1:30 p.m. and informed them that he had planted the bomb. He is being interrogated by the police. During the preliminary interrogation, he answered contradictorily. The police have decided to question him in detail. For this, high-level officials led by ADGP will soon reach Kodakara.
At the same time, the police also received crucial information in the investigation of the blue car suspected to have been used by the perpetrator of the series of blasts. The police suspect that the assailant reached the convention centre where the prayer meeting was held in this car. This car is the crucial information that the police got after the incident. Police verified that the number of the car was fake.
Two people died and over 50 people were injured, some seriously, in the blasts, ADGP Law and Order M R Ajith Kumar told reporters here. "The man's name is Dominic Martin. He also gave evidence supporting his claim. We are examining it presently. We are also examining his claims and the reasons given for carrying out the act," the ADGP said.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George gave updated figures of those injured in the blasts. "52 people admitted to different hospitals…30 people are admitted here, out of which 18 are in ICU and 6 are critically injured, among those 6, one is a 12-year-old child. The rest of the injured are in other private hospitals," she told the media.
Jehovah's Witnesses Christian religious group originated in the United States of America in the 19th century. When asked by reporters whether the incident was an outcome of intelligence failure on the part of the police, the ADGP said that all branches of the force were functioning effectively. Earlier, State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb told media in Thiruvananthapuram that according to the preliminary probe the blasts occurred due to IED. "We are examining it," he said. (With Agency inputs)
