Colombo: On 21 April 2019, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated terrorist suicide bombings. Later that day, there were smaller explosions at a housing complex in Dematagoda and a guest house in Dehiwala.
A total of 267 people were killed, including at least 45 foreign nationals, three police officers, eight bombers, and at least 500 were injured. The church bombings were carried out during Easter services in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo; the hotels that were bombed were the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, Kingsburyand Tropical Inn.
According to the State Intelligence Service, a second wave of attacks was planned, but was stopped as a result of government raids.
Now more revealing information from inside sources clearly point finger towards India as the base of planning and preparation of these attacks. Sri Lankan intelligence officials have uncovered information that an Indian named “Abu Hind” was the main planner who triggered the attack. Evidences reveal that it was this character who remained in contact with the suicide bombers till the end and especially, Sarah who had fled to India.
Sri Lankan officials are also exploring the possibility of involvement or any connection of Abu Hind with Indian intelligence officials, may those be rouge.
The final report is in concluding phase and it is becoming evident that how Indian soil has been used against Sri Lanka. The region desperately want peace and incidents like these merely create a divide between local communities fulfilling some hidden agendas.
Later, it came to knowledge that India informed Sri Lankan authorities about the impending suicide attacks and pinpointed Catholic Churches and Indian High Commission in Colombo. However, there was no Terrorists attack on Indian High Commission located next to other targets (Shangri-La Cinnamon & Kingbury Hotel) and no Indian official got injured. Unfortunately, the attack targeted Christian community killing many innocent civilians and the backlash resulted in incident of violence/ hatered against Muslims in Sri Lanka. A simple conclusion can be that the attacks were pure terrorist incidents aimed to create a divide between muslim and Christian communities in Sri Lanka. Infact the cold blooded attacks have even more henious aims behind these attacks.
Later, Indian NIA in an official tweet on Jun 2019 disclosed that 1 accused of Sunday Easter attack has been arrested in Tamil Nadu, thereby confirming the allegation.
In coming days, Sri Lankan government was very proactive in its investigation and formed a Five-Member Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI). According to ‘The Daily News’ report published on 30 September 2020 , SJB MP Mujibur Rahman told PCoI that spouse of Katuwapitiya Church Bomber Pulasthiya Rajendran Alias Sarah fled to India immediately after the attacks and has not been investigated. It was also suggested that Sri Lankan government may ask India to repatriate her as she is directly involved in the attack. In fact such a finger pointing challenged the very sincerity of Indian forewarning about the attacks. Web Desk
