New Delhi: India on Sunday strongly condemned the coordinated blasts that took place across various churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, killing at least 200 people, including foreigners. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “We strongly condemn the serial blasts on multiple locations in Sri Lanka today morning in which many people have been killed and injured.”
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Sri Lanka. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured in the attacks,” it added. “We call for perpetrators of such ghastly and heinous act and those who provide them support to be brought to justice expeditiously,” the statement read.
Opposing terrorism in “all its forms and manifestations”, India, in the wake of the incidents, urged the international community to take concerted action against terror activities, including cross-border terrorism. “There can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terror,” the External Affairs Ministry said in the statement.
“We stand together with the people and Government of Sri Lanka in this hour of grief,” it added. The CNN reported that nearly 560 people suffered injuries in the serial blasts that took place in churches in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa, along with Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury hotels in Colombo. Two more blasts have also been reported by the state media, taking the total to 8. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far.