Kerala blasts: With the death of a 61-year-old woman, the death count from the blasts that occurred at a Christian religious gathering in Kochi a week ago has risen to four. According to the information, the elderly woman succumbed to her injuries. She was identified as Moly Joy from Kalamassery, and died at a private hospital in the early hours of Monday. According to a hospital spokesperson, she had suffered over 70 per cent burns in the blast that occurred at a religious gathering on October 29 and was on ventilator support.
The woman was initially treated at another private hospital and later shifted to Ernakulam Medical Center, he said. A 12-year-old girl named Libina from Malayattoor in Ernakulam district had also succumbed to her injuries on October 30 at the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital.
Two women who were part of the gathering were killed on the day of the incident. Over 50 people were injured, some seriously, during the multiple blasts at the international convention centre in Kalamassery, near this port city of Kerala. They had gathered for the final day of a three-day-long prayer meeting organised by the followers of Jehovah's Witnesses.
A few hours after the incident, a man claiming to be an estranged member of Jehovah's Witnesses surrendered before the police in Thrissur district, claiming he carried out the multiple blasts. The police later recorded his arrest.
About Kalamassery blasts
The blasts were set off at a convention centre in Kalamassery near Kochi where a prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a Christian religious group that originated in the US in the 19th century -- was held on Sunday. A few hours after that, Dominic Martin, who claimed to be an estranged member of Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, saying that he carried out the multiple blasts.
(With PTI inputs)
