In wake of bomb blasts, Sri Lankan govt declares two days holidays for schools

Sri Lanka bomb blasts: At least 156 people were killed and around 400 injured after simultaneous blasts rocked Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday

Sri Lankan police officers clear the road as an ambulance drives through carrying injured of Church blasts in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2019. AP Photo

Sri Lanka bomb blasts: The Sri Lanka government Sunday declared holidays for all schools in the country for two days. Education Minister Akila Viraj, taking to Twitter, said the decision was made due to the prevailing situation in the country.

2019 වසරේ දෙවන පාසල් වාරය හෙට (22) දිනයේ ආරම්භ කිරීමට නියමිතව තිබුණද මේ වන විට රටේ මතුව ඇති තත්ත්වය හේතුවෙන් හෙට (22) සහ අනිද්දා (23 ) දිවයිනේ සියලු පාසල් වසා තැබීමට තීරණය කළ බව අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍ය අකිල විරාජ් කාරියවසම් මහතා නිවේදනය කර සිටිනවා.

මාධ්‍ය ඒකකය
අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යාංශය

— Akila Viraj (@avkariyawasam) April 21, 2019

At least 156 people were killed and 400 injured after simultaneous blasts rocked Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. A series of six explosions were reported from three churches and three hotels.

The first blast was reported from St Anthony’s Church in Kochcikade in Colombo, the second from St Sebastian’s Church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo and third from a church in Batticaloa. Three five-star hotels from where the blasts were reported are the Shangrila, the Cinnamon Grand, and the Kingsbury. The blasts occurred at around 8.45 am (local time) as Easter Sunday masses were in progress.

LIVE UPDATES | Sri Lanka bomb blasts

Condemning the attack, PM Narendra Modi said he there is no place for such barbarism in our region. “India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured,” he tweeted.

Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka. There is no place for such barbarism in our region. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured.

— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 21, 2019

Meanwhile, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said she is in constant touch with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo and is monitoring the situation.

Colombo – I am in constant touch with Indian High Commissioner in Colombo. We are keeping a close watch on the situation. @IndiainSL

— Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 21, 2019

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the motive for the same remains unknown.

outside the RJD party office in Patna on Friday. Partners of the alliance filed nomination papers for all 121 seats going to polls in the first phase – the total strength of the Bihar House is 243 – while talks continued to end the deadlock over seats.

Mahagathbandhan parties fail to seal Bihar pact, field own candidates for Phase 1

Political Pulse3 hr ago

Opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar failed to announce a seat-sharing pact as nominations closed for the first phase of Assembly elections. Talks are ongoing to end the deadlock over seats, with over a dozen constituencies still in dispute. The alliance has released lists of candidates, with RJD reportedly contesting 130-135 seats and Congress around 60.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS