Kalamassery blast: Kerala CM Vijayan terms it 'unfortunate' and 'serious'
Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday termed as "unfortunate" and "serious" the blast at a convention centre of a Christian religious group in Kalamassery in Kochi in the morning.
Congress MP from Ernakulam, Hibi Eden, who visited the blast site, told reporters that according to one of his friends who attended the convention, there were multiple blasts.
The MP also said that the bomb squad, forensic team, Kochi City Police Commissioner and Ernakulam District Collector were present at the scene.
The blasts occurred during the convention of the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a Christian religious group that originated in the United States of America in the 19th century.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Vijayan said he has conferred with the State DGP who along with other senior police officers have left for the blast site.
"It is an unfortunate incident. One person died and two others are in serious condition. An investigation has been launched and further details will be available later," the CM told reporters in Delhi where he has gone to attend some party programmes.
"The incident is being viewed very seriously," he added.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, who is also in Delhi, told media that any terrible actions aimed at diverting attention from the Palestine issue would entail strict action.
"When Kerala is standing united with the people of Palestine, any terrible action to divert attention from it will entail strict action. The government and all democratic persons will together condemn it," he said.
Asked whether he was terming the incident as a 'pre-planned conspiracy' to divert attention from the Palestine issue, Govindan said that has to be examined.
At the same time, he said that on viewing it politically in the prevailing situtation, such an incident appears to be part of a terror act.
"That needs to be examined seriously," he said.
To a query if he was saying that the blast was not an accident, Govindan replied how can it be an accident when bomb parts have been found at the scene according to information he has got.
One person died and over 20 were injured were injured in the blast.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
