A blast occurred at the Jehovah Witnesses Church in Kalamassery, Kerala, during a Sunday prayer meeting, resulting in one fatality and 23 injuries. Counter-terror sleuths and National Security Guards were dispatched to the site. Initial investigations suggested that the explosion was caused by a low-intensity, timer-based device with batteries and wires but no shrapnel, hinting at a deliberate act aimed at sending a message. While the case has not been officially handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the presence of an NIA Special Protection officer highlights the seriousness of the situation.
Although the incident occurred in an area previously associated with Muslim radical activities, including the presence of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the PFI has not been known to utilize improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for their extremist actions. The occurrence happened shortly after Khaled Mashal, a former leader of Hamas, addressed a virtual gathering in Malappuram, encouraging Jamait-e-Islami activists to take action against those who do not share their beliefs.
This incident has brought significant attention to the presence of terrorist activities and the potential threat of radicalization in the region.
Image Source: https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2023/10/29/kerala-1-killed-23-hurt-in-blast-at-jehovas-witnesses-prayer-meet-in-kochi.html
Image Source: https://thegrameenexpress.com/1-killed-36-hurt-after-bomb-blasts-rock-jehovas-witnesses-prayer-meet-in-kochi/
