Indian police have arrested a 32-year-old man suspected of setting fire to a compound adjacent to the historic Kadavumbhagam Synagogue in Kochi, Kerala, one of the most important and historic synagogues of the Cochin Jewish community.
The incident occurred early Monday morning. According to investigators, the suspect drove to the Ernakulam market area, poured an accelerant in front of a plant nursery operated by a trustee of the synagogue, set fire to signs on the premises, and fled.
Police launched an intensive investigation, combining searches with cyber-investigation efforts. Security camera footage and information about the vehicle used in the attack helped investigators identify the suspect, who was arrested during a raid on a rented villa in Puthencruz.
During a search of the property, officers reportedly discovered a stash of hard drugs hidden inside a cupboard, including fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and oxycodone. The suspect is also facing a separate investigation into suspected drug trafficking. Police are examining whether he was involved in an earlier arson attack on a car showroom in the area. Given the sensitivity of the location and the attack's proximity to a Jewish heritage site, India's central intelligence agencies have joined the investigation, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Investigators are now examining whether the suspect had connections to foreign terrorist organizations, with particular attention to networks operating from Pakistan. Authorities are reviewing messages on his mobile devices, including communications through Telegram and WhatsApp, to identify possible contacts abroad. They are also tracing financial transactions and investigating whether the suspect received cryptocurrency payments in exchange for carrying out the attack and documenting it.
Kochi Deputy Police Commissioner Arun Pavithran confirmed the details to reporters, saying the suspect's electronic devices had been submitted for an in-depth forensic examination. “He is in contact with someone who directs him and gets him to carry out these acts in exchange for payment," Pavithran said. “The arson near the synagogue is an extremely sensitive matter, and we are investigating every possible direction."
Security measures and police deployments around Jewish institutions in the area remain heightened. Authorities had already increased security last month following security warnings.