Jehovah’s Witnesses regional Assembly in Kerala, India became the target of suspected terrorists on Sunday.
The gathering of more than 2,200 people was marred by two bomb explosions, leaving at least two sisters dead whilst more than 55 people are reported to be injured.
The attack occurred immediately after the opening prayer. Following the incident, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, JW.org, reported that the police had launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident and take necessary action against anyone found involved.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy,” read a statement on the website, which included an expression of sympathy to the families of the deceased.
According to Al Jazeera, Darvesh Saheb, Kerala’s Director General of Police, has revealed that preliminary investigations suggest that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was responsible for the blast.
Saheb expressed confidence that through a thorough investigation, the authorities would reveal the identity of those behind the attack. “We are examining all angles and will find out who is behind this,” he told Al Jazeera.
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Meanwhile, Reuters have reported that a person named Dominic Martin claimed responsibility for the attack in a video posted on Facebook.
Martin surrendered himself to a police station in Thrissur district shortly after noon, approximately 40km or 25 miles away from the explosion site.
The police have detained him and are questioning him in Kochi, although an arrest has not yet been made.
Media coverage of the incident has been limited, with some reports suggesting that the government has limited the coverage to maintain stability in the region.
Although tension had been reported between Jehovah’s Witnesses and some other religious groups in the region, it is not clear if these issues were linked to the attack.
Terrorism incidents have been on the rise in India, with religious and ethnic tensions between different groups a significant factor.
The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has condemned the attack, stating that such acts would not be tolerated, with his priority being for swift action to be taken so that justice could be served.
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