2023 Kerala bombing

Kalamassery Convention Centre Blast
2023 Kerala bombing (Kerala) Show map of Kerala 2023 Kerala bombing (India) Show map of India
Location	Zamra International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Kalamassery, Kerala, India
Coordinates	10°03′32″N 76°21′34″E / 10.05889°N 76.35944°E / 10.05889; 76.35944
Date	29 October 2023 (2023-10-29) 9:40 AM (GMT +5:30)
Target	Jehovah's Witnesses Convention
Attack type	Bombing
Weapons	Improvised explosive device
Deaths	8
Injured	50+
Perpetrator	Dominic Martin
Motive	Indian ultra-nationalism

On 29 October 2023, a series of improvised explosive device (IED) blasts took place during a convention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kalamassery, a suburb of Kochi, India.^[1][2] Five women, two men, and a child were killed and more than fifty other people were injured when the group was holding a Sunday morning session of their annual regional convention in southern India's Kerala state.^[3][4] A man shortly surrendered at the Kodakara police station, claiming to be responsible for the blast. The motive of the blast is still under investigation.^[5][6]

On the morning of 29 October 2023, the final day of a three-day programme,^[7] about 2500 members of Jehovah's Witnesses had gathered at the Zamra International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Kalamassery, Kerala, South India. The blasts occurred at 9:40 AM and fire was reported in the building^[3] located 10 km northeast of Kochi city. Witnesses say that there were multiple explosions, and that the hall was filled with smoke and fire. People rushed out of the centre in panic, and some were injured in the stampede.^[5] The first victim was found charred to death in the middle of the hall.^[8] The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, and several are in critical condition.^[9][10]

As of 7 December 2023^[update], eight people have died as a result of the explosion, with three victims belonging to the same family.^[11] The first reported fatality was Leona Paulos, a 55-year-old woman who was found charred to death at the blast spot.^[12] A few hours later, Kumari Pushpan, a resident of Thodupuzha, died in the hospital.^[13] On the next day, 12-year-old Libna, whose burns were 95%, succumbed to her injuries.^[14] More than 50 others suffered burn injuries due to fire. 17 people had been admitted to different hospitals, 12 of whom were in intensive care with burns above 50-60%.^[15] A week later, 61-year-old Molly Joy and 45-year-old Reena "Sally" Pradeepan, who is also Libna's mother, died while in intensive care.^[16][17] The sixth victim was Praveen Pradeepan, older brother of Libna and son of Reena, both of whom had died as a result of their injuries following the blast.^[11]Seventh victim, 78-year-old K.V. John, was undergoing treatment for injuries in the blast and died on 2 December 2023 and his wife Lilly John, 71, a retired bank employee, was the eighth victim who died on 7 December 2023.^[18]

Dominic Martin, a 57-year-old resident of Thammanam who claims to be a renegade member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered at a police station in Kodakara and confessed that he is behind the blast. Prior to surrendering, he posted a video on Facebook where he was seen saying that he resented the Witnesses' "anti-national" doctrines. Police were suspicious of Martin's claim, and took him to custody for further questioning.^[19][15]

As per the suspect's own confession, he planned the blast when he was working in Dubai.^[20] Martin told the police that he used 8 L (2.1 U.S. gal) of petrol and high-impact firecrackers to make the bomb.^[21] Electronic components required for detonating the bomb were purchased from Ernakulam on the pretext of making remote control toys for children.^[22]

Initially, it was speculated that some Islamist terrorist groups might be behind the blasts and the incident was falsely connected to the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict.^[23][24] However, further interrogation of Dominic Martin by police have revealed evidence that this was likely an insider attack.^[25] Preliminary investigation indicated that an IED placed inside a tiffin box might have caused the blasts.^[15] Police also recovered four remote control devices from the storage space of Martin's scooter which he parked at the Kodakara police station before surrender.^[26][27]

According to the Kerala Director General of Police Shaik Darvesh Saheb, preliminary investigation indicated that an improvised explosive device was utilized.^[1] The Kerala government put the state on high alert after the blasts. Police and security forces have been deployed in sensitive areas, and checks are being carried out at all entry and exit points to the state.^[28][3]

The National Security Guard, India's national counter-terrorism unit, moved one of its bomb disposal units from New Delhi to Kerala in order to conduct an investigation and collected evidence from the blast site.^[3]

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the investigation into the blasts. The NIA is India's premier counter-terrorism agency, and it is investigating the possibility that the blasts were carried out by a terrorist group.^{[29][30][31][32]}

Shortly after the bombing occurred, false claims that it was linked to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war spread on social media.^[33]

• List of terrorist incidents in India
• 2023 Hamburg shooting – March 2023 attack against Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany