Kerala blasts | Accused taken to firecracker shop where he bought ‘gundu’ for explosions for evidence collection

SIT probes Kochi twin blasts; takes prime accused Martin V.D to firecracker shop for evidence collection. Martin allegedly triggered blasts with 50 gundu firecrackers. Police team led by investigation officer S. Sasidharan took Martin to shop near metro station. Martin cooperating with investigation, remanded in custody till Nov 15. Police to take him to petrol pumps, electronic shop, rented house for evidence collection. Possibility of external support being investigated.

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the twin blasts at a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention at Kalamassery in Kochi, Kerala, that claimed four lives and injured scores took the prime accused Martin V.D to a firecracker shop at Tripunithura as part of evidence collection for the second day running on November 9, 2023.

Martin had allegedly triggered the blasts using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made up of 50 gundu (high-intensity firecrackers) at Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 29, 2023.

A police team led by investigation officer S. Sasidharan, Deputy Commissioner, (Kochi City), took the accused to the firecracker shop near the metro station at Vadakkekota around 12 p.m.

Martin had allegedly bought the crackers from the shop. A calm and collected Martin could be seen answering the questions of the police team in detail as he continues to cooperate fully with the investigation. Martin has been remanded in police custody till November 15.

He remains to be taken to the petrol pumps and the electronic shop from where he claimed to have bought petrol, remote control and batteries for making the IEDs. He has to be taken to his rented house at Thammanam as well.

Before producing before the court after his arrest, the police had taken him to his apartment at Athani near the Kochi airport where he allegedly made the IEDs. The police had recovered materials, including petrol and wires, from the terrace of the building at that time.

Since obtaining his custody, the SIT took Martin to the convention centre for evidence collection for the first time on November 8, 2023 evening. The police are also looking into the possibility of possible external support, though they have not come across any evidence suggesting this yet.