A court in Kerala on Monday granted the police ten-day custody of the accused in the Kochi blasts on October 29. The accused, identified as Dominic Martin, had earlier surrendered himself before the police after the incident.
Four people were killed and over 50 were injured in the blast during a prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses at a convention center in Kalamassery in Kochi. A few hours after that, 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.
Principal Session Court Judge Honey M Varghese allowed the police's plea for 10-day custody of Martin. The police submitted that they needed to investigate his sources of income, international connections, and other related matters.
Police further said that the accused must be taken to certain locations for further collection of evidence. Meanwhile, Martin once again declined the assistance of a legal aid lawyer. He was remanded to judicial custody on October 31.
Casualties of Kochi blast case
As per reports, an elderly woman on Monday succumbed to her injuries sustained during the attacks. She was identified as Moly Joy from Kalamassery, and died at a private hospital. She had suffered over 70% burns in the blast that occurred at a religious gathering on October 29 and was on ventilator support.
Prior to that, 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.
Investigating agencies suspected of the involvement of a terrorist organisation in the deadly explosions that shook the state. Speculations are rife that a terrorist organisation carried out these blasts as revenge for the resolution passed in the Convention Centre on the Israel- Hamas conflict. A case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
(with PTI inputs)
