Police in Kochi, India, have arrested 32-year-old Abin B. Paul on suspicion of setting fire to a compound adjacent to the historic Kadavumbhagam Synagogue earlier this week. The synagogue is one of the oldest and most significant Jewish houses of worship in Kochi, in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
According to the police investigation, Paul acted on instructions from an unidentified handler known online as "Boss," who paid him to carry out the attack, apparently using cryptocurrency, and instructed him to film the arson on his cellphone as proof that it had been completed.
Security camera footage and the arrested suspect
The incident occurred early Monday morning. Paul allegedly drove to the Ernakulam market area, poured gasoline in front of a plant nursery operated by a synagogue trustee, set fire to signs on the premises and fled.
Police investigators, assisted by cybercrime specialists and surveillance footage, tracked down the vehicle and arrested the suspect at a rented villa in the town of Puthencruz. During a search of the property, officers discovered a stash of drugs concealed in a cupboard, including fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and oxycodone.
A criminal case has been opened against Paul, and police are investigating his possible involvement in drug trafficking networks as well as a previous arson attack on a vehicle showroom in the area.
India's central intelligence agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have joined the investigation, focusing on Paul's possible connections to terrorist organizations abroad, particularly networks operating out of Pakistan. Investigators are examining his Telegram and WhatsApp communications with foreign contacts, along with financial transactions involving his accounts.
Kochi Deputy Police Commissioner Arun Pavithran said the suspect's electronic devices had been sent for forensic examination. "He was in contact with someone who induced him to carry out these acts and paid him for them," Pavithran confirmed to reporters. "The arson attack at the synagogue is a sensitive matter, and we are investigating all possible angles."
Pavithran said security at Jewish institutions and police patrols in their vicinity had already been increased last month following security alerts. He added that the heightened security measures would remain in place.