Colombo: At least 207 people have lost their lives in the multiple blasts which rattled different parts of Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, police have said. Sri Lanka’s Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewarden told CNN that seven people have been arrested in connection with the attacks. Police said that 450 people have been injured.
Eight explosions rattled various suburbs in Sri Lankan cities of Colombo, Negombo, Kochchikade and Batticaloa as the Christian community celebrated Easter Sunday. Out of the deceased, around 20 people have been identified as foreigners, reported CNN.
A 12-hour curfew will come into force in Sri Lanka on Sunday evening till 6 am on Monday in the wake of the devastating blasts, according to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s secretary, Udaya R Seneviratne. Schools across the island nation will also remain shut until Wednesday due to security concerns.
In a bid to curb fake news, the Sri Lankan government has temporarily blocked popular social networking sites including Facebook and Instagram, CNN reported quoting officials. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet. The international community has also condemned the multiple blasts, with leaders from the United Kingdom, India, Nepal, European Union expressing their grief due to the bombings.
