"What we saw was a fireball:" Eyewitness accounts detail horror of Kerala prayer convention blast
Outside the convention centre where hundreds had gathered, faces were etched with anxiety and tears. Inside, amidst the gloom and mystery that enveloped the site, police officers and firefighters searched for injured attendees.
Recounting her shocking experience, a senior woman said, "when I opened my eyes after hearing the first blast, all I saw was a fireball in front of me. Nothing...nothing more...just a fireball. Everybody ran scattered here and there. It was a sprawling hall, and a large number of people were inside."
One woman died and over 36 others were injured in the explosion at the convention centre this morning during a gathering of the Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian religious group that originated in the US in the 19th century.
Among the distressed crowd at the venue were senior citizens, including women who had actively participated in the morning prayers.
A man in his 70s, his voice trembling, described the shock of witnessing a blast amidst the densely populated prayer convention.
"I was standing at the side of the hall, praying with my eyes closed. Suddenly, a shocking blast was heard from nearby. I saw only fire around and ran to the door along with others," he said, wiping away tears.
In all his years of attending the convention the attendee had never witnessed anything like this before, he said.
Another woman, her hands placed on her forehead, struggled to find the strength to recall the events during the prayers. "There were several elderly people and children among the participants," she said, her voice quivering with emotion.
The eyewitness accounts depicted a horrifying scene.
The convention center, previously known for hosting weddings, turned into a site of tragedy and horror on Sunday morning. Many local residents were unaware that a prayer convention was being held there. While eyewitnesses recounted a series of explosions, after preliminary investigation police officials maintained that there was a single blast.
The blast was caused due to an improvised explosive device (IED), Kerala DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb said.
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Rupee falls 32 paise to all-time low of 95.20 against US dollar
Mumbai, Apr 30 (PTI): The rupee depreciated 32 paise to an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, weighed down by elevated Brent crude oil prices, hovering around USD 122 per barrel, and strong American currency.
Forex traders said the USD/INR pair may see further downside, as rising crude oil prices are likely to sharply impact India's import costs, while concerns over potential wider conflict in West Asia are fuelling investor anxiety.
Meanwhile, the US dollar added to gains after the US FED Reserve kept rates unchanged. Safe-haven demand was also boosted by another diplomatic setback between Washington and Tehran.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.01 against the US dollar, then lost some ground and touched an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in initial trade, registering a fall of 32 paise over its previous close.
On Wednesday, the rupee depreciated 20 paise to close at an all-time low of 94.88 against the US dollar.
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"The main effect on the rupee has been from the rising oil prices, which touched USD 120 per barrel and looked headed for further upside as the US continues with its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran does not allow any ship/tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.01 per cent higher at 98.96.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 3.16 per cent at USD 121.76 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex tumbled 821.79 points to 76,674.57 in early trade, while the Nifty dived 287.3 points to 23,890.35.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,468.42 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue with their sale of Indian Equities and debt (the yield touched 7 per cent on Wednesday) and are also dollar buyers consistently," Bhansali added.
