Kochi City police investigating the alleged arson attack on the grounds of the historic Kadavumbhagam Synagogue in Ernakulam have added charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against the primary suspect, Ebin Paul. District Police Chief Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar informed reporters that investigators applied Sections 15 and 18 of the anti-terror legislation, which cover terrorist acts and criminal conspiracy.
Mr. Mahesh Kumar stated that the stringent anti-terror law was invoked due to the sensitive nature of the religious site targeted in the incident. Law enforcement officials believe additional accomplices may have played a role in the crime.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly received instructions from external parties and accepted payments through cryptocurrency. Police also recovered video footage showing the suspect conducting reconnaissance of the area and rehearsing the act, pointing toward a wider coordinated conspiracy.
Authorities noted that Mr. Paul is linked to multiple arson incidents across the Ernakulam district and appears to have targeted locations outside the district as well. Consequently, police plan to recommend a formal probe by the State Anti-Terror Squad, while indicating that the National Investigation Agency could take over the investigation if necessary. Central agencies and the ATS have reportedly collaborated on the inquiry from its early stages.
The suspect was initially taken into custody following an incident on October 12, 2026, when a plant nursery situated in front of the synagogue near the Ernakulam market was set ablaze around 2:40 a.m. During a subsequent search of the suspect's residence in Puthencruz, law enforcement officers also seized various suspected narcotic substances, including heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, alprazolam, and ketamine.