Pinarayi Vijayan In The Wake Of Blast: Amit Shah

Delhi/Hyderabad, Oct 29 (Hydnow):  Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the blasts. 

The Union Home Minister also instructed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG) to reach on the spot and start an inquiry into the incident. 

One person was killed and several critically wounded in the explosions that took place at a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witness believers at Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery area in Ernakulam district. 

The Home Minister later issued a direction to the chiefs of both the NIA and the NSG — the two Central agencies specialized in anti-terror investigation and operations respectively — to send their specialized teams on the spot to start an inquiry.  

Earlier, the Kerala Chief Minster terms the explosion as an unfortunate incident saying that the state government was taking it very seriously.  

“It’s a very unfortunate incident.  We are collecting details regarding the incident.  All top officials are there in Ernakulam.  DGP is moving to the spot.  We are taking it very seriously.  I have spoken to the DGP.  We need to get more details after the investigations “Vijayan said. 

Kerala’s leader of Opposition and the Congress’s state president, VD Satheesan, meanwhile, said he was told that there were blasts and there was a fire.  “Initially there was a major blast.  It was followed by a second blast, which was minor. A woman died and several other persons were injured in the incident, and are currently under treatment at the hospital.  Six of the injured persons are currently in the ICU.  Around 2,000 people were present at the prayer hall when the explosive devices went off,” he said. 

Those injured in the blasts were admitted to Government Medical College Hospital in Kalamassery, as well as in private hospitals.  The explosions were reported a little after 9:30 a.m. at the venue where a regional meeting of the believers was underway.  (Hydnow) 

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