Man sets fire near Kochi synagogue

15-Oct-2026

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A 32-year-old man has been arrested for setting fire to a nursery in front of a synagogue in Kochi, with police suspecting possible international terror links and a wider conspiracy behind the arson at the Jewish place of worship.

The accused, Ebin B Paul, a native of Ernakulam, poured petrol on Blossom Nursery, run by the synagogue trust and set it on fire around 2.30 am on October 12. He allegedly recorded the incident on his mobile phone before fleeing the spot.

A preliminary examination of the accused's mobile phone and online chats revealed communications with individuals suspected of having foreign links and members of various online groups. Messages allegedly referred to Jewish places of worship and possible attacks in different cities across the country.

The police said they were probing possible international connections, while news agency PTI reported that a terror angle was also under investigation, though this has not yet been conclusively established.