KOCHI: When Moly Cyriac left her home in Adimali at the break of dawn on October 29, 2023, all she hoped to do was attend the baptism of her cousin’s daughter and whet her curiosity for the rituals of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect her life to be upended over the next few hours.
As the scars and the mental trauma wrought by the blasts at the Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery, where the baptism was to be held on the day of the convention, refuse to recede, the 59-year-old survivor is having difficulty leading a normal life. She still shuttles between Adimali and the Ernakulam Medical Centre (EMC) hospital for regular follow-up treatment and check-ups.
A Roman Catholic, Moly was invited to attend the baptism of her beloved Venus. “I did not want to miss the ceremony for the world. I don’t belong to the community and had not attended any of the sect’s events. However, since that fateful day, life has been a constant struggle.”
Moly sustained more than 50% burns and was admitted to the intensive care unit of EMC. “I was under treatment for more than two months. My recovery was a distant hope. Despite the extensive treatment, I am still not able to walk or sleep properly. There are burns wounds all over my body, hands, and thighs. I can only sleep on my stomach due to the injuries on my back. Even now I experience pain, itching, and other difficulties. We appointed a home nurse for a brief time. It was financially impossible for us to continue,” she said.
She travels to Kochi to consult her doctor once every month. “The doctor said he wants to see me for further treatment. I take a taxi from Adimali. I have spent around Rs 16 lakh for my treatment in the last one year,” she said, adding that most of the expenses were met by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Venus was also injured in the blast and was admitted to a private hospital in Kochi. “She made a quick recovery and left the hospital after 37 days,” said Moly.
As many as 52 people were admitted to various hospitals in Ernakulam following the twin blasts.
Moly said that many of the survivors have still not been provided financial assistance by the state government. “The chief minister, governor, and other ministers were among those who visited us in the following days with promises of financial and other assistance. However, I have not received any assistance. I tried to apply for aid by submitting my hospital bills. However, there has been no update,” says Moly, a daily wager.
She has two daughters. The eldest is married and lives with her family in Peerumedu, while the youngest is in between jobs in Dubai. Moly is a single mother, having separated from her husband when her younger daughter was three years old.
The deceased
Lilly John, 76, from Thodupuzha
K A John, 77, husband of Lilly
Leyona Paulose, 55, from Perumbavoor
Molly Joy, 61, from Kalamassery
Saly Pradeep, 45, from Malayattoor
Praveen, 24, son of Saly
Libna, 12, daughter of Saly
Kumari Pushpan, 53, from Thodupuzha
Turn of events
July 2023: Martin returns from the Gulf. He harbours resentment towards the Jehovah’s Witnesses group, and starts planning an attack
Oct 27: He procures electronic components, including remote control and circuits, on the pretext of making toys from shops in Pallimukku, Kochi - Martin collects gunpowder from high-intensity crackers bought from shops in Tripunithura. Procures petrol from different fuel stations in Kochi
Oct 28: Assembles the IEDs, which he kept in plastic carry bags at his apartment in Athani
Oct 29, around 5am: Martin sets off from his rented house in Thammanam on scooter
8.30am: Reaches his apartment in Athani and picks up the explosives. Proceeds to Zamra convention centre
9.15am: Enters venue when it was opened for prayer
9.35am: As prayer commenced, Martin moves to the back of the stage and triggers the IEDs with the help of a remote control
12pm: He checks into a lodge in Koratty after a brief stopover at his apartment
4pm: From the lodge, he streams a Facebook live video taking responsibility for the blasts before surrendering at Kodakara police station
Around 8pm: NSG team from New Delhi arrives in Kalamassery to examine blast site
Police shift Martin to Kalamassery Armed Reserve Camp and record his arrest late at night
A team under the Kochi deputy commissioner is named to investigate the case
April 23, 2024: Chargesheet is filed against Martin with Ernakulam District Principal Sessions Court