Colombo: At least 129 people were killed and more than 300 others injured after six near simultaneous blasts hit three churches and three hotels frequented by tourists in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Two more explosions took place by around 3 pm.
The blasts occurred at around 8.45 am as the Easter Sunday masses were in progress in churches, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. Suicide bombers reportedly blew up two churches, say reports.
SHOCKING SUNDAY
Three churches – 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 – were targeted, police said. Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels, the Shangrila, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Quoting sources, reports say that 40 people were killed in Colombo. The Colombo National Hospital spokesperson, Dr Samindi Samarakoon, said more than 300 people have been admitted with injuries. A bomb attack to our church, please come and help if your family members are there, read a post in English on the Facebook page of the St Sebastian’s Church.
ATTACKS ON EASTER DAY
Initial reports suggest that church-goers may have been specifically targeted on the occasion of Easter. There is also no report on whether any Indian citizen has died or is injured even as the Indian embassy in Colombo monitors the situation. A hotel official at the Cinnamon Grand, near the Prime Minister’s official residence, told Agence France-Presse the explosion there had ripped through a restaurant, killing at least one person. Government Minister Mano Ganeshan, at the scene of one of the blasts in Colombo, expressed his shock at the attacks. No-one has yet said they were responsible for the attacks.
INDIAN GOVT MONITORS SITUATION
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, responding to the explosions, said that she is in close touch with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo and that the government was closely monitoring the situation in the neighboring country. Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may call the following numbers – 94777903082, 94112422788, 94112422789
RANIL CHAIRS MEET
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghae held an emergency meeting with Ministers, military heads and officials of security forces. They discussed securty measures to be taken up and rescure works to be carried out. High alert has been sounded across the island nation. All the government schools have been ordered to remain close tomorrow and day after in view of multiple explosions in Sri Lanka.
PREZ CALLS FOR CALM
President Maithripala Sirisena addressed the nation in view of the series of explosions. Sirisena appealed for calm and said that all security personnel has been deployed to investigate the incident. The Sri Lankan information department has issued a statement warning against spreading rumors about the incident.