Two more Indians confirmed dead in Sri Lankan serial blasts: Sushma Swaraj

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday confirmed that two more Indian nationals have been killed in the Sri Lankan serial blasts that claimed more than 290 lives. With two more deaths, identified as Vemurai Tulsiram and SR Nagaraj, the total number of Indians killed in the blasts,  which struck three churches and luxury hotels frequented by foreigners in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, rose to eight. Earlier in the day, Swaraj on Monday identified two more individuals killed in the blasts on Sunday. 

We regret to confirm the deaths of two more individuals in the blasts yesterday:
- Vemurai Tulsiram
- S R Nagaraj@SushmaSwaraj

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 22, 2019

At least six Indians have been killed in a string of eight powerful blasts, including suicide attacks, which struck three churches and luxury hotels frequented by foreigners in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, officials said on Monday.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 am (local time) as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.The police said on Monday that at least six Indian nationals have been reported among the foreigners who died in the blasts. 

"We sadly confirm the deaths of the following two individuals in the blasts yesterday, KG Hanumantharayappa and M Rangappa," Swaraj retweetd Indian High Commission in Colombo's tweet.On Sunday, Swaraj, in a series of tweets, identified the three Indians as Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh.

"Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals," she said in a tweet.On Sunday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan identified a Keralite, PS Rasina (58), among those killed in the deadly bomb blasts.

Around 500 people, including Indians, were injured in the blasts - one of the deadliest attacks in the country's history. No group has claimed responsibility for Sunday's attacks.