24 hours after the eight explosions across multiple locations in Sri Lanka, the death toll rose to 290. Over 500 people have been injured in blasts reported from eight different locations spread across three cities in Sri Lanka in the most violent attack in the country since the end of the country's civil war in 2009.
A timeline of attacks
Between 8.45 am and 9 am on Sunday, when Easter celebrations were in full swing, the first six blasts went off – in three luxury hotels in the heart of Colombo and in three churches, one at St Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, the second explosion at a church in Katuwapitiya in Negombo, which is located 30 km from the capital, and the third at a church in Batticaloa, a major Tamil-majority city in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province that was once a Tamil Tiger stronghold.
The three five star hotels that were hit were the Shangri-La Hotel, the Kingsbury Hotel and Cinnamon Grand Hotel, all located in Colombo. News agency AFP reported that the suicide bomber at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo had checked in under the name 'Mohamed Azzam Mohamed' the night before and was waiting in queue for breakfast before he set off the explosives attached to his back.
Later, in the afternoon, at around 2 pm, another blast hit a guest house near the zoo in Dehiwala in Colombo, killing two persons. The eighth blast was reported about 45 minutes later, at a housing complex at Dematogoda in the city, which left three policemen dead.
After the first six blasts, the Sri Lankan government beefed up the security. All security available and health care workers were called in. University classes were cancelled, all Easter masses were called off and people were asked to stay indoors. The government then imposed restrictions on social media and a curfew from 6 pm on April 21 to 6 am on April 22 was announced.
The victims
At the time of writing, 290 people were confirmed dead while around 500 people have been injured in the attacks. The majority of those killed are Sri Lankan nationals, including several people celebrating Easter in churches on Sunday. Many victims of the blasts are still unidentified and Sri Lankan officials are working to confirm the final death toll.
Several foreign tourists were killed in the blasts, including five Indian nationals as confirmed by the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka. KG Hanumantharayappa and M Rangappa, from Karnataka, Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh were confirmed as dead by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Details about the five individuals is awaited. While the Kerala government has said that 61-year-old Razeena, a woman from Kasargode, has also died in the attack, there has been no confirmation from the Indian government yet.
11 foreign nationals including one from Portugal, two from Turkey, three from the UK, and two holding US and UK passports were confirmed dead in the incident. As per a media release by the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington DC, USA, there are 25 unidentified bodies believed to be of foreigners at the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer’s mortuary.
The probe into the attacks
As per the BBC, by Monday morning, 24 people were arrested in connection with the blast but the Sri Lankan government is yet to confirm who is behind the attacks. Officials suspect that suicide bombs were used in some of the blast sites. Reuters journalist Ranga Sirilal tweeted that the CID is interrogating the 24 suspects.
Addressing the country late on Sunday, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe stated that directives have been issued to all law enforcers including the police and the Special Task Force to carry out a probe into the blasts.
The government has asked the citizens to remain calm during the time that investigations are underway.
An alleged intel failure
Two Sri Lankan ministers have alluded to an intel failure, stating on Twitter that the government had prior information about an impending attack.
“Some intelligence officers were aware of this incidence. Therefore there was a delay in action. What my father heard was also from an intelligence officer. Serious action need to be taken as to why this warning was ignored. I was in Badulla last night,” Harin Fernando, Sri Lankan Minister of Telecommunications, Foreign Employment and Sports stated on Twitter.
A week before, my Ministerial Security Division (MSD) officers had been warned by their Division on two suspected suicide bombers in Colombo targeting politicians #lka
— Mano Ganesan (@ManoGanesan) April 21, 2019
“A week before, my Ministerial Security Division (MSD) officers had been warned by their Division on two suspected suicide bombers in Colombo targeting politicians,” tweeted Mano Ganesan, Sri Lankan Minister of National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress & Hindu Religious Affairs.
Some intelligence officers were aware of this incidence. Therefore there was a delay in action. What my father heard was also from an intelligence officer. Serious action need to be taken as to why this warning was ignored. I was in Badulla last night pic.twitter.com/ssJyItJF1x
— Harin Fernando (@fernandoharin) April 21, 2019
News agency AFP had reported that it had seen documents containing a tip-off by the police to top intelligent officials about a possible attack on churches. However, reports had quoted Sri Lankan police officials stating that they were not aware of such an intelligence report.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe has stated that his government had received intel about the attack but many ministers were not told about the same. An inquiry will be set up to probe into how the information was used, media reports stated.