External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday identified two more individuals killed in the blasts on Sunday
Pic/PTI
At least six Indians have been killed in a string of eight powerful blasts, including suicide attacks, which struck three churches and luxury hotels frequented by foreigners in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, officials said on Monday. Sri Lankan authorities have arrested 24 people from the minority Muslim community in connection with the multiple blasts that rocked the island nation on Sunday, killing over 290 people.
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The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 a.m. (local time) as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress. Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday identified two more individuals killed in the blasts on Sunday. "We sadly confirm the deaths of the following two individuals in the blasts yesterday, K G Hanumantharayappa and M Rangappa," Swaraj retweeted Indian High Commission in Colombo's tweet. On Sunday, Swaraj, in a series of tweets, identified the three Indians as Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh.
@SushmaSwaraj
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 22, 2019
We sadly confirm the deaths of the following two individuals in the blasts yesterday:
- K G Hanumantharayappa
-M Rangappa.
"Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals," she said in a tweet.
On Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan identified a Keralite, P S Rasina (58), among those killed in the deadly bomb blasts.
Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said the number of arrests on the incidents has now gone up to 24. However, the government said they will not disclose the details of the suspects involved in the attacks to prevent them from getting publicity. "Don't give extremists a voice. Don't help to make them martyrs," State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, told reporters when asked for details of those in custody.
Police said the van which had carried explosives to carry out bomb attacks at the three hotels was arrested with its Muslim driver. A safe house where the bombers had lived for nearly three months leading to the attacks were discovered in the south of Colombo suburb of Panadura.
Also read: Sri Lanka blasts: Police chief warned of suicide attacks 10 days ago
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