Investigation launched by Indian authorities into bomb explosions during religious gathering in Kerala

Police in the southern state of Kerala, India, are conducting a high-level investigation into a series of explosions that took place during an event organized by Jehovah's Witnesses. The blasts resulted in the death of three individuals and caused injuries to over 50 people. Following the incident, a man surrendered to the police after claiming responsibility for the attacks in a video he posted on social media. However, police are still working to verify the authenticity of his confession. The explosions occurred during a prayer session attended by over 2,000 followers of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kalamassery town. Two people died on the day of the incident, while a 12-year-old girl with severe burns passed away on Monday morning. Initial investigations suggest that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) placed inside a tiffin box may have caused the explosions. The individual who claimed responsibility for the attack, Dominic Martin, uploaded a confession video on Facebook, which has since been deleted. Martin, a registered member of the religious group, expressed anger towards what he perceived as "anti-national" teachings by Jehovah's Witnesses. However, a regional spokesperson for the religious movement denies Martin's claims and is uncertain if he even attended the event. As of Monday, 17 injured individuals have been admitted to various hospitals, with 12 under intensive care. Four of them are in critical condition, three requiring ventilator support, and all suffering from burns above 50-60%. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, has condemned the incident and announced the formation of a 20-member investigative team led by the assistant director general of police. Furthermore, a meeting involving all political parties has been scheduled to discuss the necessary actions. In response to the explosions, heightened security measures have been implemented in Delhi, the capital of India, as well as in other major cities like Mumbai. The investigations continue with additional inputs from Ashraf Padanna in Kerala.