Kerala blasts: Death toll rises to 5 as 45-year-old Woman succumbs to injuries

KOCHI: The death toll in the Kalamassery blast in Kerala's Kochi at a prayer meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses has reached five after a 45-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries on Saturday evening, officials said. The deceased has been identified as Sally Pradeep. "She died yesterday around 10.30 pm," officials said.

According to officials, the daughter of the deceased, identified as Libna, had succumbed to her burn injuries earlier in the month. Her brother is said to be critical, as per officials.

Following the incident, the State Health Department had constituted a special Medical Board to monitor the health status of those injured in the blast, as per officials Multiple explosions took place at a prayer meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Kalamassery area of Kochi on October 29.

Dominic Martin, an accused in multiple blasts case was sent to Police custody for 10 days till November 15. The Kerala Police had said that the blast was caused by a remote-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Police said that Martin has been charged under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) and Explosive Substances Act.

According to the police, the accused also has the bills for the items purchased for the IED blast. Wherever Dominic purchased the goods, he made videos in those places. According to Martin, Jehovah's Witnesses and its ideology were 'dangerous' for the nation and had to be put to end in the state.

Kochi Police had arrested Martin after the blasts based on a self-made confession video posted on Facebook claiming responsibility for the blasts at the Zamra International Convention Centre in Kalamassery where over 2,000 followers of Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian sect, had gathered for a prayer meeting earlier in the month. Following the incidents, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a 20-member probe team to investigate the matter.