“What we saw was a fireball:” Eyewitness accounts detail horror of Kerala prayer convention blast

PTI, Oct 29, 2023, 2:37 PM IST

Image credit: The Hindu

Amidst the chaos that followed the explosion at their prayer convention in Kalamassery, eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying moments that left the venue in a state of shock and grief in this Kerala town. Outside the convention centre where hundreds had gathered, faces were etched with anxiety and tears. Inside, amidst the gloom and mystery that enveloped the site, police officers and firefighters searched for injured attendees.

Recounting her shocking experience, a senior woman said, ”when I opened my eyes after hearing the first blast, all I saw was a fireball in front of me. Nothing…nothing more…just a fireball. Everybody ran scattered here and there. It was a sprawling hall, and a large number of people were inside.” One woman died and over 36 others were injured in the explosion at the convention centre this morning during a gathering of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian religious group that originated in the US in the 19th century.

Among the distressed crowd at the venue were senior citizens, including women who had actively participated in the morning prayers. A man in his 70s, his voice trembling, described the shock of witnessing a blast amidst the densely populated prayer convention. ”I was standing at the side of the hall, praying with my eyes closed. Suddenly, a shocking blast was heard from nearby. I saw only fire around and ran to the door along with others,” he said, wiping away tears. In all his years of attending the convention the attendee had never witnessed anything like this before, he said.

Another woman, her hands placed on her forehead, struggled to find the strength to recall the events during the prayers. ”There were several elderly people and children among the participants,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion. The eyewitness accounts depicted a horrifying scene.

The convention center, previously known for hosting weddings, turned into a site of tragedy and horror on Sunday morning. Many local residents were unaware that a prayer convention was being held there. While eyewitnesses recounted a series of explosions, after preliminary investigation police officials maintained that there was a single blast. The blast was caused due to an improvised explosive device (IED), Kerala DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb said.