Police sniffer dogs are helping in the search for human remains at the site of a firecracker blast in Mundathikode, Thrissur. | Photo credit: Thulasi Kakkat
TThe afternoon of April 21 was as warm as a festival day. At the home of Seljo Francis in Mundathikode, about 16 kilometers from Thrissur, laughter spilled into the courtyard as nearly three dozen relatives and friends gathered for the annual feast of St. John the Evangelist, Kuttamkulam. After lunch, some people were getting ready to leave, others were getting ready for the afternoon church procession.
Suddenly, a deafening roar rang through the air and Francis’ house shook violently. “The window panes shattered in no time, splattering glass across the rooms,” recalls Francis. “Something hit the terrace above. The window frame broke and fell. For a while no one understood what was happening.”
Published – 25 April 2026 04:00 IST
