Five Dead in Jehovah’s Witnesses Blasts as Death Toll Rises

The death toll from the recent IED blasts that shook a gathering of Jehovah’s Witnesses has tragically risen to five, as a middle-aged woman succumbed to her injuries on Saturday. Sally Pradeepan, a 45-year-old resident of Malayattoor in Ernakulam district, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi. She had been receiving treatment and was on ventilator support, according to a government health bulletin.

Sally Pradeepan’s demise is particularly heart-wrenching as she was also the mother of another victim, 12-year-old Libina, who tragically lost her life on October 30. Reports indicate that Sally sustained severe burns in the blasts, accounting for approximately 50% of her body.

Currently, 17 individuals injured in the explosions are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the area, as confirmed by a medical board established to care for the victims. Among them, eight individuals are in the intensive care unit (ICU), with one individual in critical condition. The remaining nine victims are recovering in regular wards, as stated in the medical bulletin.

The blasts occurred during a religious gathering of the Jehovah’s Witnesses sect on October 29. In addition to Libina, two women attending the event were killed on the day of the incident. Tragically, 61-year-old Moly Joy from Kalamassery also lost her life at a private hospital on November 6.

The international convention centre in Kalamassery, near the port city of Kochi, witnessed multiple explosions that left over 50 people injured, some with severe wounds. The gathering was the final day of a three-day-long prayer meeting for the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. Shortly after the blasts, a man named Dominic Martin, claiming to be an estranged member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, surrendered to the police in Thrissur district, confessing his responsibility for the multiple explosions. The police subsequently arrested Martin and have charged him with Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for murder, Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, and relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

This devastating incident continues to be investigated, with agencies providing valuable insights into the ongoing case.