A year since Kalamassery blasts, tightened security marks conventions, assemblies by Jehova’s Witnesses

Security measures at Jehovah’s Witnesses gatherings have increased following a deadly bombing incident at a convention in Kalamassery a year ago. Bag scanners, metal detectors, and police bomb squads are now common at their events. The group holds several regional conventions and assemblies in Kerala each year. They are cooperating with the investigation into the attacks and have reached out to the affected families. The accused in the bombing claimed he wanted to teach the group a lesson for being “anti-national”. Despite this, the group has not encountered any issues with him before. There are about 57,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in India, with 15,000 in Kerala.