Sri Lanka blasts: Father, 2 brothers of Easter Sunday bombings mastermind killed during gun battle

Father and two brothers of Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bombings were gunned down after the security forces stormed their safe house on April 26

The news was confirmed by Sri Lanka police and a relative of suicide bombers. (File Photo/ Getty)

Three suspected masterminds of the crime were reportedly killed by the security forces

These were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military forces on the east coast

Government has deployed around 10,000 soldiers across the island to carry out searches

Sri Lanka blasts: Days after the deadline suicide blasts which jolted Sri Lanka, three relatives of the suspected mastermind of the crime were reportedly killed by the security forces two days ago. According to a report by news agency Reuters, father and two brothers of Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bombings mastermind were gunned down after the security forces stormed their safe house on April 26 (Friday). The news was confirmed by Sri Lanka police and a relative of suicide bombers earlier in the day. Police officials also informed that Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military forces on the east coast on Friday. These three were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non-believers. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 350 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahran Hashim’s two brothers and father. The three gunned down were out the 15 people killed by the security forces were the same seen in an undated video circulating on social media, said the police. In the video, these three can be seen discussing martyrdom and also urging their followers to kill all non-believers. Last week, Sri Lankan police arrested three suspects and seized 21 hand grenades and six swords during a raid here following the Easter Sunday bombings that left nearly 360 people dead. According to reports, the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) and the Special Task Force (STF) personnel carried out the raid in Modara area of the city and arrested three suspects. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the deadly suicide bombing attack on Easter Sunday which took lives of as many as 360 innocent people and injured over 500. Government has deployed around 10,000 soldiers across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of the local Islamic groups believed to have carried out the attacks.

Published at : 28 Apr 2019 04:29 PM (IST)

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