One Killed in Blast at House in Kerala’s Kannur; Tenant Booked

Kannur – A powerful explosion tore through a rented house in Keezhara, Kannur district of Kerala early Saturday, killing one person and leaving the local community in shock.

The impact of the blast was so severe that body parts were found scattered in the debris, while several neighbouring houses were damaged.

Preliminary investigations suggest the explosion occurred during the making of country-made bombs, though some reports claim firecracker production was being used as a cover for the illegal activity. No license had been issued for fireworks manufacturing, and bomb squad officers recovered several unexploded crude bombs from the site.

The house, owned by retired teacher Govindan, had been rented by Anoop, a known fireworks supplier. Police have booked him under the Explosives Act. Investigators suspect the deceased was one of his workers, believed to be a native of Mattul, though official confirmation is pending.

Locals described the terrifying scene. “We heard a massive sound around 2 a.m. When we rushed to the spot, the house had collapsed. A body was under the debris, with only the legs visible,” said a resident.

Villagers also noted that the house often remained dark but saw frequent late-night visits by unidentified people on two-wheelers, fuelling suspicions after the incident. The blast’s shockwave shattered windows, broke doors, and cracked walls in nearby homes.

“This was no ordinary firecracker explosion. It must have been a powerful bomb to bring down an entire tiled-roof house,” remarked another villager.

Police, along with bomb squad, fire force, and dog squad units, are continuing site inspections. The body has been sent for post-mortem.

Authorities revealed that Anoop had earlier been accused in a similar case in 2016 in Podikundu, Kannur, where explosives had gone off in a residential house.

The discovery of large quantities of crude explosives has once again drawn attention to the recurring issue of illegal bomb-making in Kannur, a district long troubled by politically linked violence and blast-related incidents.

With inputs from IANS