Over 200 dead in Lanka Easter carnage

In what is being described as one of the worst terror attacks in Sri Lanka, eight serial blasts ripped through the island nation on Easter Sunday, killing over 200 and wounding 450 people. The deceased includes four Indians. The explosions were carried out inside prominent churches and luxury hotels frequented by foreigners.

"Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in a tweet. Those killed have been identified as Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh. "We are ascertaining further details," she added.

Earlier in the day, a woman from Kasargod district in north Kerala was said to be killed in the explosion at Shangri-La hotel in Colombo. Raseena, 58, had gone to Sri Lanka to meet some relatives. "We are in touch with the high commission to bring her body back," said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and Zion Church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 am (local time). In Colombo, three five star hotels – The Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury hotels were attacked. A curfew has been imposed in the country and security forces have been ordered to remain on high alert for the next 10 days.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he feared the violence could trigger instability in Sri Lanka, a country of about 21 million people, and he vowed the government will "vest all necessary powers with the defence forces" to take action against those responsible for the massacre.

Sri Lanka Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena described the bombings as a terrorist attack by religious extremists. He suspects most of them to have been suicide attacks. The police has arrested eight suspects with "local names" but will investigate links to foreign agencies.

The explosions collapsed ceilings and blew out windows, killing worshippers and hotel guests. People were seen carrying the wounded out of blood-spattered pews. Witnesses described powerful explosions, followed by scenes of smoke, blood, broken glass, alarms going off and victims screaming in terror.

"People were being dragged out," said Bhanuka Harischandra of Colombo, a 24-year-old founder of a tech marketing company who was going to the city's Shangri-La Hotel for a meeting when it was bombed. "People didn't know what was going on. There was blood everywhere."

Hours later, a seventh blast at a three star hotel in Dehiwela, Colombo's southern suburb near the Colombo National Zoo killed two persons.

Three police officers were killed in an eighth explosion near an overpass in a suspected safe house in Dematagoda on the outskirts of Colombo as they went to question suspects following a tip.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) extended condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Sri Lanka, saying, "India has always opposed and rejected terrorism in all its forms and manifestations." It urged "concerted action by the international community against terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. There can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terror."

Sri Lankan Airlines has told passengers booked on flights out of the country that they will be able to fly despite the curfew. It advises passengers to arrive four hours before their scheduled flights.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the deadly serial blasts. However, documents seen by AFP claimed that Sri Lanka's police chief Pujuth Jayasundara had issued an intelligence alert to top officers 10 days ago, warning that suicide bombers planned to strike "prominent churches".

The Sri Lanka government called an emergency meeting after the serial blasts. "Emergency meeting called in a few minutes. Rescue operations underway," the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution, Harsha de Silva, said in a tweet.

Leaders from across the world expressed solidarity with Sri Lanka after the serial blasts. Lamenting the grave attacks, Pope Francis said, "I want to express my loving closeness to the Christian community, targeted while they were gathered in prayer and all the victims of such cruel violence. I entrust to the Lord all those who were tragically killed and pray for the injured and all those who are suffering as a result of this dramatic event."

The attacks shattered a decade of peace in the island nation since the end of the brutal civil war with the LTTE. No group has claimed responsibility for the violence. In the wake of the attacks in Lanka, the Goa government beefed up security at the churches across the state.

8.45 am – First series of blasts across 3 churches while Easter mass was on

8 – Local suspects arrested by cops. Overseas link to be investigated

TERROR SPREAD OVER 2 HOURS

27 At least of the dead were foreigners

• Indians Raseena, Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh killed in the attack
   
• Air India, IndiGo waive off all charges for rescheduling and cancellation of tickets to and from Colombo till April 24
   
• AI requests passengers to report in advance to clear security at Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo)
   
• Suicide bomber blows himself up when police enter a house Dematagoda, killing three cops
   
• Govt imposes nationwide curfew from 6 pm to 6 am 
   
• Access to social media and messaging sites, including Facebook and WhatsApp, blocked
   
• Reports say police chief had issued an intelligence alert to top officers 10 days ago, warning suicide bombers planned to strike ‘prominent churches’

There is no place for such barbarism in our region. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. 
PM Narendra Modi

Easter brought mourning & pain to  places where people were gathered... My affectionate closeness to the Christian community, hit while it was gathered in prayer 
Pope Francis

I call upon all Sri Lankans to remain united and strong. Avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation.  
Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka PM

(With Agency Inputs)