Who's Dominic Martin, the man behind Kerala serial blasts?

The Kalamassery town in Kerala’s Ernakulam district was struck by tragedy on Sunday when an explosion took place at a Christian religious gathering, killing three people, including a 12-year-old girl. Another 50-odd people have been injured, some seriously, during the multiple blasts at the international convention centre where the followers from the Jehovah’s Witnesses, had gathered for the final day of a three-day-long prayer meeting. Shortly after the tragedy struck, a man surrendered before the Kerala Police, claiming responsibility for the blast. Identified as Dominic Martin, he also had put up video message on a social media platform claiming responsibility for the devastation. Kerala ADGP (law and order) Ajith Kumar confirming the same told the media that his team was verifying the man’s claims, adding that his psychiatric conditions are also being monitored. He said that all aspects of the case would be thoroughly probed. But what do we know about Martin and his motive for carrying out the IED explosion. Here’s what we know so far. Martin and Jehovah’s Witnesses Martin in his video, which was shared by news channels, claimed to be associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses group for the past 16 years. He alleged in the video that he had taken the decision as the teachings of the organisation were “seditious”. “Back then I did not take it seriously and went along with them just as a joke. Around six years ago, I realised they were not a good organisation and their teachings were seditious,” he alleged. He claimed that he had told the organisation several times to correct its teachings, but it was not ready to do so. “As I had no other option, I took this decision,” the man contended. In his video, he further alleged that the ideology of the Jehovah’s Witnesses was wrong and added that it was dangerous for the country and therefore, it had to be put to an end in the state. “Their ideology is wrong. Jehovah’s Witnesses, your ideology is wrong. You do not help anyone or respect anyone. You want everyone to be destroyed, except yourself. That is your ideology,” he alleged. **Also read: 'We saw a fireball': How eyewitnesses described the devastation of the Kerala serial blast** The Indian Express quoted him as saying, “They inject poison into the brains of children that they should not take even a sweet from others. They are asked not to sing the national anthem or join the defence service. They teach that all people of the world would perish and only they will live. What should we do with the people who long for the ruin of the entire people in the world? I could not find a solution.” [caption id=“attachment_13316132” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Dominic Martin in a video that he shared on Facebook alleged that he had taken the decision as the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses were “seditious”. Image Courtesy: Facebook[/caption] A family man Martin lives in a two-bedroom house at Khader Lane with his wife and two children – a son and a daughter – for the past five years. His family and his landlord expressed shock when they came to know that he had claimed responsibility for the horrific incident. Sakkir Thammanam, the local councillor, told Indian Express that his wife believed that he was going to meet a friend at the time when he went to plant the explosives at the convention centre. Jaleel, their landlord, also expressed surprise when he saw Martin’s video, claiming responsibility for the blast. “He was not a troublemaker. He did not have many friends but no enemies either. He might have started drinking of late as per our conversations with his wife. Also, he never defaulted on rent payment. There was nothing suspicious about his activities,” he told Indian Express. According to reports, Martin was only educated until Class X. He was running a spoken English tutorial class in Thammanam a few years ago. However, when that business shut down, he went overseas to the Gulf and it was only recently that he had returned home. Jaleel added that Martin returned to Kerala when his daughter contracted dengue in the Gulf and that he never had any issues with anyone. [caption id=“attachment_13316172” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] People rush to save themselves after a blast at a convention centre in Kalamassery, in Ernakulam district. PTI[/caption] Blast that shook Kerala On Sunday morning, hundreds of followers of the minority Christian group Jehovah’s Witnesses had assembled at Kalamassery on the concluding day of a three-day-long prayer meeting. Local newspaper Mathrubhumi said at least three explosions occurred inside the convention hall which killed three and injured at least another 50 people. Kerala DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb said preliminary probe suggests the blast was due to an IED, adding that an SIT will be constituted for investigation. Following an all-party meet, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that a 20-member team would investigate the blast. Later, Home Minister Amit Shah directed the National Investigation Agency and National Security Guard to begin a probe into the incident. The blast also led to a spat between CM Vijayan and senior BJP leader and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar over the latter’s social media post, calling it communal. [caption id=“attachment_13316182” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Kerala Minister Veena George meets the injured of the Kochi’s Convention Centre blast, at a hospital in Ernakulam. PTI[/caption] Earlier, Chandrasekhar had posted on X, “Dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) @pinarayivijayan besieged by corruption charges. Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians.” Vijayan alleged the statements were the reflection of an absolute communal outlook. In the meantime, the police has registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC as well as provisions of the Explosives Act and the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The CM has also called for another all-party meet today, terming the attack “extremely unfortunate”. When asked whether the blast was a terrorist attack, Vijayan said the police were probing all angles. “I can’t say anything more at the current stage of the police investigation”, Vijayan said. With inputs from agencies