NEW DELHI: Five Indians were among 290 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.
Their names are Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar, Ramesh, KG Hanumantharayappa and M Rangappa, she said adding further details are being ascertained.
Both Hanumantharayappa and Rangappa were JDS party workers, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy confirmed.
"EAM Sushma Swaraj has confirmed death of 2 Kannadigas, KG Hanumantharayappa & M Rangappa, in the bomb blasts in Colombo. I'm deeply shocked at the loss of our JDS party workers, whom I know personally. We stand with their families in this hour of grief," Kumaraswamy said.
Swaraj, in a series of tweets, said the Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that a hospital informed it about deaths of the five Indians in the blasts.
On Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan identified a Keralite, Razeena Khader Kukkady (58), among those killed in the deadly bomb blasts.
Razeena is from Kerala's Kasaragod and the family is one among the Muslim families migrated to Sri Lanka for business.
Her husband Abdul works at a refinery in the United Arab Emirates.
He left for Dubai from Colombo on Sunday morning and Razeena was to fly back to Bengaluru in the afternoon.
When the blasts occurred at Colombo's Shangri La hotel, where the couple were staying, Razeena was having her breakfast.
“Since my sister-in-law’s family members and relatives are in Sri Lanka, the couple went there for a vacation. After my brother left for Dubai on Sunday morning, Razeena was to return to Bengaluru by afternoon. But her life has been snuffed out”, said Usman Kukkady, Abdul’s brother.
Yatish Baikampady, a friend of the Kukkadys, said, “It has come as a shock that Raseena was killed in the blast”.
Abdul initially worked with MCF and later started working in refineries in Libya and the UAE. The family has been residing at Surathkal, he stated.
Relatives said they will try to bring back the mortal remains of Razeena to Mangaluru for the last rites. Razeena’s children are flying from the US to Colombo and other relatives from India are also reaching there, Usman added.
In Bengaluru, a close relative of Reddys told the New Indian Express that the family tried contacting the Indian High Commission in Colombo, but they did not get any information about the duo.
“Only in the evening we came to know that Purushotham is in hospital. The hotel management helped us trace him. The blast occurred when he was having breakfast,” he said.
"Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals," she said on Sunday. The death of the other two were confirmed on early hours of Monday.
Swaraj also confirmed that the Indian Visa application centre in the island country, IVS LANKA will remain closed for two days, starting from Monday.
290 people were killed and More than 500 people in blasts which ripped through churches and luxury hotels, shattering a decade of peace in the island nation since the end of the civil war with the LTTE.
"Nine foreigners reported missing. 25 unidentified bodies believed to be of foreigners are at Colombo Judicial Medical Officer's mortuary. Emergency hotline to assist families of affected foreign nationals will be operational 24 hrs at +94 112323015," said Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and called the suicide bombings in the country "cold-blooded and pre-planned barbaric acts". He also offered all possible help to the country.
Swaraj said she spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana who confirmed that 207 people were killed and more than 450 were injured in the blasts.
I have just spoken to the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka H.E. Mr.Tilak Marapana. He confirmed that unfortunately, 207 persons have lost their lives and more than 450 are injured in the terror blasts. /2
"I conveyed to the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka that India is ready to provide all humanitarian assistance. In case required, we are ready 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 housing colony in Dematagoda in Colombo." In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said there can be no justification for any act of terror and called for concerted global action to effectively deal with the menace, including cross-border terrorism.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo said that it was closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka. "In addition to the numbers given, Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may also call the following numbers +94777902082 +94772234176," it said.
(With online desk inputs)