The toll in the Idinthakarai Tsunami Colony bomb blast has risen to seven with the death of victim Jesu Maria Soosai in a private hospital at Nagercoil on Sunday.
Country bombs were kept in one of the houses in the 7-year-old colony, situated west of Idinthakarai with 450 dwellings. They went off on November 26 evening, killing five persons, including two children and a woman, on the spot, while one person succumbed to injuries after being admitted to the Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam in Nagercoil the same night. Three more persons – polytechnic student Vijay (17), fisherman S. Jesu Maria Soosai (45) and beedi roller Roselin (35) – were admitted to the Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital and then shifted to a private hospital.
Jesu Maria Soosai, father of seven children, died on Sunday night. His body was taken to Kooththenkuzhi, his native place, on Monday evening and buried following special prayers. Vijay reportedly told the police that the illegally-made country bombs were kept in a few more houses in the colony. Hence, most of the Tsunami Colony residents, anticipating surprise search by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad in the suspected areas in the colony, have moved to their relatives’ houses at Idinthakarai, while others spend their nights in front of St. Lourdes Church, the venue for ongoing anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project struggle.
