Overview
- The explosions at a makeshift fireworks site, which erupted Tuesday, exposed suspected licensing and safety gaps and have killed 15 people with four still missing.
- Search teams have recovered about 132 body parts and are using DNA testing at Thrissur Medical College to identify victims for families waiting for confirmation.
- Sunday’s Thrissur Pooram will keep core rituals but cancel firework shows, with a brief symbolic parasol swap replacing the usual hours-long display, organizers said.
- The one-member judicial commission led by Justice C. N. Ramachandran Nair plans site visits and meetings with district officials and says shifting toward light-focused shows can reduce risk.
- Orthodox churches across Kerala are canceling festival fireworks and channeling the money to charity, signaling a broader move toward quieter, safer public celebrations.