Three Indians were among over 200 people killed in multiple bomb blasts in Sri Lanka on Sunday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, as India offered all possible assistance to the island nation to deal with the situation.
Swaraj, in a series of tweets, said the Indian HighCommission in Colombo has conveyed that a hospital informed it about deaths ofthe three Indians in the blasts.
“Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed thatNational Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indiannationals,” she said.
Their names are Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh,she said adding further details are being ascertained.
Over 200 people were killed and at least 450 injured inblasts which ripped through churches and luxury hotels, shattering a decade ofpeace in the island nation since the end of the civil war with the LTTE.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sri Lankan PresidentMaithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesingh and called thesuicide bombings in the country “cold-blooded and pre-planned barbaricacts”. He also offered all possible help to the country.
Swaraj said she spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister TilakMarapana who confirmed that 207 people were killed and more than 450 wereinjured in the blasts.
“I have just spoken to the Foreign Minister of SriLanka H.E. Mr Tilak Marapana. He confirmed that unfortunately, 207 persons havelost their lives and more than 450 are injured in the terror blasts,” shetweeted
“I conveyed to the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka thatIndia is ready to provide all humanitarian assistance. In case required, we areready to despatch our medical teams as well,” she added.
Swaraj said, “In all eight bomb blasts have taken place– one more in a guest house in Dehiwela near Colombo and another in a housingcolony in Dematagoda in Colombo.”
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said therecan be no justification for any act of terror and called for concerted globalaction to effectively deal with the menace, including cross-border terrorism.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo said that it wasclosely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. Indian citizensin need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may call thefollowing numbers : +94777903082 +94112422788 +94112422789,” the HighCommission tweeted.
“In addition to the numbers given, Indian citizens inneed of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may also call thefollowing numbers +94777902082 +94772234176,” it said.