The death toll in a bomb blast at a Jehovah's Witnesses prayer meeting in the southern Indian state of Kerala has risen to three, police said on Monday.

More than 2,000 people were attending a three-day Jehovah's Witnesses prayer meeting at a convention center in Kalamassery, near the port city of Kochi on Sunday, when the blast ripped through the crowd.

While one woman died immidiately, another succumbed to her injuries hours later. Local assistant police commissioner PV Baby told AFP that a 12-year-old girl had also died after suffering burns covering most of her body. 

"There are three to four people with serious injuries," Baby added.

"At about 9:40 am (0410 GMT) approximately there was an explosion in Zamra International Convention Centre in which one person died and 36 are undergoing treatment," said Darvesh Saheb, director general of the Kerala police, had said initially on Sunday. Later, authorities reported that some 50 people had been injured.

According to initial investigations, the explosion was triggered by an improvised explosive device, Saheb added. The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported at least three "blasts" had occurred inside the convention center.

Suspected bomber surrenders to police

Hours after the incident, a man surrendered to police and claimed to be the perpetrator of the explosions. Earlier, he released a video message on social media, claiming to be a former member of the church who no longer agrees with its beliefs.

"They teach that all people of the world would perish and only they will live. What should we do with people who long for the ruin of the entire people in the world. I could not find a solution. I took the decision realizing that this idea is dangerous to the country," the suspect said in the video.

Police said they are "examining his claims and the reasons given for carrying out the act," according to The Times of India.

Jehovah's Witnesses are an international Christian denomination founded in the United States around 1870. They preach non-violence and are politically neutral, and have a history of persecution. Their activities are banned or restricted in several countries.

It is a millennial faith, meaning its members believe that the end of the world is near and that God's kingdom will soon rule over the Earth. There are nearly 60,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in India, according to the church's website.

dh/jcg (AFP, dpa, Reuters)