Bengaluru: Six JD(S) workers from Karnataka who had gone to Sri Lanaka for a leisure trip were among those killed in the Sunday blasts.
Seven of the party workers had gone on the trip after the election campaigns, and those killed were Ramesh, K M Lakshminarayan, M Rangappa, K G Hanumantharayappa and Narayan Chandrashekar and H Shivakumar.
They were among the eight Indian nationals killed in the incident. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed the news on her Twitter handle yesterday.
A relative of Shivakumar has been quoted saying, “Last morning while checking-in around 8, they have gone for breakfast and blast took place very close to their table. Due to the blast Hanumantharayappa and Rangappa have died on the spot, while others at hospital is what we have come to know so far. We are leaving for Colombo… Soon after reaching Colombo they have called home to inform that he has reached, shortly after that the incident should have happened. normally he used to go for trip with friends, this time after election for relaxation he had gone, this has happened.”
JD(S) worker Puttaraju’s name is figured as missing and the family has no information about him yet, claimed a media report.
Some relatives of those dead and missing have left for Colombo. The Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, tweeted, “I am deeply pained at the loss of their lives in the heinous attack. They were also committed workers of our party and their death has brought immense sorrow to us.”
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Secretary has requested Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka to send the bodies at the earliest.
A nodal officer has been appointed at the High Commissioner’s office for Karnataka tourists, he said, adding that a few from the state had gone to Kandy and were on their way back. The Chief Secretary’s office is in constant touch with the Resident Commissioner at Karnataka Bhavan located in New Delhi, the CM said. The office is also in touch with families of the victims and the missing people for further information on them, the chief minister said.
Razeena Khader, a Keralite woman was among the Indians killed. Reports said she was about to check out from the Shangri-La hotel when the explosion occurred. Razeena’s husband Abdul Khader is a native of Baikampady near Suratkal in the city. When he learnt the news he returned from Dubai to Colombo. Their two children Fara and Khanfar are settled in the US, said media reports.
The Kerala government was taking steps to bring back Razeena’s body as soon as possible, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He issued a statement saying, “The NORKA (Department of Non-resident Keralites Affairs) authorities are in touch with the High Commissioner’s office and the relatives.”
On Easter Sunday, a series of bomb blasts tore through three churches and three luxury hotels killing 290 people.