11 Indians die in Lanka blasts: Lankan foreign ministry

The number of Indians killed in the massive Easter Sunday bombings rose to 11 on Thursday (April 25), as one more person succumbed to injuries, taking the total number of foreigners who died in the attack to 36, according to the Sri Lankan foreign ministry.

Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said that as of Wednesday (April 24), the number of foreign nationals who have been killed in the attack rose to 36. “It includes, one from Bangladesh, two from China, eleven from India, three from Denmark, one from Japan, one from the Netherlands, one from Portugal, two from Saudi Arabia, one from Spain, two from Turkey, six from the UK, one from USA, two holding US and UK nationalities, and two holding Australian and Sri Lankan nationalities,” the statement said.

The ministry further added that 14 foreign nationals are unaccounted for at present, and could be among the unidentified victims at the Colombo Judicial Medical Officers mortuary. The mortal remains of 13 foreign nationals have been repatriated to date, the statement said.

The ministry said that 12 foreign nationals injured in the attacks are receiving treatment at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital and private hospitals in Colombo while others have been discharged following treatment. Nine Suicide bombers, believed to be members of local Islamist extremist group called National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing at 359 people and injuring over 500.

So far over 75 people, all Sri Lankan nationals, have been arrested in connection with the attacks. Many of the arrested people have suspected links to the NTJ, the group blamed for the bombings. However, the NTJ has not claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks and identified the seven suicide bombers who carried out the devastating blasts.