Kerala blasts accused worked in Middle East as electrical foreman, carried 2 IEDs to convention centre: Police

Police also found that Dominic Martin extensively searched the internet to learn about how to make explosives, and that he had made more than one IED at his house at Thammanam in Kochi.

Kochi blast:Kerala blasts toll 3; accused did electrical work in Gulf: officials

NSG personnel at Samra Convention Centre, a day after the blasts, in Kalamassery on Monday. (PTI)

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The key accused in the Kochi blasts was working in the Middle East as an electrical foreman until two months ago, and had gained skills to experiment with IEDs using locally available materials, initial probe has revealed. Police also found that Dominic Martin extensively searched the internet to learn about how to make explosives, and that he had made more than one IED at his house at Thammanam in Kochi, which he carried in a plastic bag to the convention centre in Kalamassery early Sunday morning.

After placing the plastic bags containing the IEDs at the convention hall before participants entered, he waited nearby and triggered the blast using two remotes. He then rode his two-wheeler towards Thrissur and checked into a hotel, from where he uploaded a confessional video. After spending less than half an hour at that hotel, he turned up at Kodakara police station in Thrissur claiming responsibility for the blasts.

Read | ‘Was not a troublemaker’: Locals shocked over confession of Kochi blast accused

On Monday, police formally arrested Martin and booked him under the UAPA, the Explosives Act, and IPC sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder). A police team, led by ADGP (law and order) M R Ajith Kumar, questioned him Monday. Police were also looking into Martin’s claims he planned and executed the blasts by himself, without any accomplices. Kochi City Police Commissioner A Akbar said: “There was sufficient ground to ascertain his role in the blasts.”

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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