Kerala health minister: 4 injured in Kochi blasts in critical condition with 50-60 per cent burns

ERNAKULAM: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Monday said that 17 people are battling burn injuries sustained in yesterday’s explosion at a religious gathering in Kalamassery near here, with 12 of them in intensive care units. “Four are critically ill and three of them are on ventilators”, Veena George said at the Kalamassery Government Medical College today.

According to an earlier statement, the death toll in the multiple blasts at the Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery, near Kochi rose to three today. A 12-year-old girl identified as Libina from Malayattoor succumbed to her injuries in the early hours today at the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital.

#WATCH | Kochi: On the Kalamassery blast, Kerala Health Minister Veena George says, "… Last night also, people were coming to the casualty ward, around 60 people sought treatment from different hospitals, and one was brought dead… We have started a helpline and we have… pic.twitter.com/iG2bYebKlK

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According to Dr Ganesh Mohan, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, the girl who suffered 95 per cent burns and was being treated on a ventilator succumbed at 12.40 am. Two women who were participating in the prayer convention of the Christian group, Jehovah’s Witnesses died after Sunday’s blasts.

“We have 17 persons in different hospitals, 12 of them are in ICU, four are critically ill, three of them are on ventilators. We are giving every possible support, ” George told reporters after visiting the injured in hospital.

“Those who are critically ill have burns above 50-60 per cent. Four are critically ill, rest are almost stable. All of them have burns, but no other injuries are found. They have burns. Let the police conduct the inquiry, they will answer all the questions”, Veena George said.

“… Last night also, people were coming to the casualty ward, around 60 people sought treatment from different hospitals, and one was brought dead… We have started a helpline and we have received 143 calls… The priority at present is to save lives and we are giving maximum support… The CM is holding an all-party meeting right now, he will brief after the meeting…”, the health minister said.

Meanwhile, an all-party meeting was chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

The meeting was convened at the Chief Minister’s Conference Hall in the State Secretariat.IUML leader PK Kunjalikutty, Congress leader VT Belram, NCP leader PC Chacko, JDS leader Mathew T Thomas, Kerala Congress leader Monce Joseph, CPI leader P Sudheer, BJP leader C Krishna Kumar and ministers K Rajan, Roshi Augustin, Antony Raju, A K Sasindran, Kadannapally Ramachandran, CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan and opposition leader V D Satheesan are among those who attended the meeting that began this morning.

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)