Hours after multiple explosions at a Jehovah’s Witnesses prayer meeting in Kalamassery’s Zamra International Convention Centre on Sunday, October 29, a Kochi native surrendered at the Kodakara police station in Thrissur, claiming responsibility for the attack. The police stated that the man identified himself as Dominic Martin, and according to reports, he arrived at the police station around 1.30 pm claiming that he was previously part of Jehovah’s Witnesses and that he placed the explosive devices at the convention because he was disillusioned by the group’s partisan, anti-national ideologies.
Dominic was arrested by the police and is being questioned. Police teams also reached his house in Kochi and are questioning his wife. According to sources, Dominic submitted videos to the police of the IEDs and how he allegedly executed the blasts. Speaking to the media, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) MR Ajith Kumar said that the man surrendered at the police station taking responsibility for the blasts and submitted some evidence. “He claims that he was a believer of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We are examining his claim and the evidence he submitted,” he said.
Before surrendering, Dominic had posted a video on social media that has now been taken down. In the video he says, “You all may have taken note of something that happened today. There was a bomb blast at a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention. I don’t know what exactly happened, but I know that it happened for sure and I take full responsibility for that. I was the one who executed the bomb blast there.”
Stating that he was posting the video to explain the reason behind his act, he said that he was with the group for 16 years. “Six years ago, I realised that the organisation was on the wrong track. They teach anti-national ideas and I have tried multiple times to rectify this, but none of them were ready to change. Living in this country, they teach that the country’s people are deplorable and that members should not mingle with them,” he said.
He alleged that children were being taught many “vile” things by the organisation, such as that they must not “eat toffees given by classmates” and anti-national things.
“I had to react. National parties won't interfere in this because religion is a volatile topic. You all should open your eyes. If action is not taken against those spreading such wrong ideologies, more people like me would have to give up their lives,” Dominic further said in the video.
Alleging that Jehovah’s Witnesses members only help each other, he cited that during the floods in Kerala too they had behaved the same way. “We should not curse the people of this nation by spreading the idea that any one group is superior,” he said.
Dominic went on to say that he would surrender at the police station and requested the media not to publicise how the blast was set off because this would make the process accessible and invite more destruction. “I am going to surrender before the police, no need to come in search of me. I would like to request the media not to telecast how the blast happened, the formula used. It would be dangerous. If it reaches a lay person, it can lead to dangerous things. The method of the blast should not be telecast by any media or social media.”
It is to be noted that Jehovah’s Witnesses was part of a case against singing the national anthem in the 1980s. The Supreme Court also ruled that people have the right to abstain from singing the national anthem on religious grounds.
Meanwhile, the police also detained a man from the Kannur railway station. Reports say he is a native of Gujarat, and according to the police, he was taken into custody as they were dissatisfied with his responses when questioned. As of now, the police have not disclosed any established connection with the Kalamassery blasts. Checks are being conducted at all railway stations across the state as part of the investigation.
There were reports of a blue car entering the premises of the convention centre just before the prayer started, with eyewitnesses stating that the person in that car had a bag. The police have confirmed that they are investigating this as well.
Earlier in the day, Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Shaik Darvesh Saheb told the media that the blasts were caused by Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). He also said that a special team would be constituted for further investigations.
Also read: Kerala blasts: What is an IED and when have terror groups used them in India?
On Sunday morning, three successive blasts were reported at the Zamra International Convention Centre in Kochi’s Kalamassery when a Jehovah’s Witnesses prayer meeting was underway, marking the end of a three-day convention. One woman was charred to death and at least 36 persons sustained injuries. Two of the injured, one a teenager, are in ICU in critical condition. Jehovah’s Witnesses is a religious sect that identifies as Christians but holds beliefs not accepted by most mainstream Christian sects. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses denies the Christian belief in the Holy Trinity. The sect does not celebrate Easter or Christmas and believes that mainstream Christian groups have deviated from the text of the Bible.
Read: Blasts in Jehovah’s Witnesses convention in Kerala: What we know so far