Kerala CM Vijayan visits blast site in Kochi's Kalamassery

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Congress MP Hibi Eden, Ministers P Rajeev, Veena George and Collector N S K Umesh.

Earlier in the day, Kerala Health Minister Veena George visited the injured earlier today at the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital and said that 17 people are battling burn injuries in yesterday's explosion with 12 of them in intensive care units.

An all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was held in Thiruvananthapuram today in the wake of the blasts.

The meeting unanimously resolved to urge people not to indulge in baseless accusations, speculative campaigns and rumour-mongering in the wake of the blasts, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

According to an earlier statement, the death toll in the multiple blasts at the Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre rose to three after a 12-year-old girl identified as Libina from Malayattoor succumbed to her injuries in the early hours today.

According to Dr Ganesh Mohan, Medical Superintendent of the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital, the girl who suffered 95 per cent burns and was on ventilator support succumbed at 12:40 am.

Earlier, two women who were participating in the prayer convention of the Christian group, Jehovah's Witnesses, died after Sunday's blasts.

A man identified as Dominic Martin posted a video on Facebook claiming responsibility for the attacks. He later surrendered at the Kodakara police station in Thrissur. The police, however, said that they have yet to verify Martin's claims.

According to the police, preliminary investigation suggests that IEDs (improvised explosive devices) were used to trigger the blasts.

Following the incidents, Chief Minister Vijayan announced a 20-member probe team to investigate the matter. (ANI)