Colombo: A top Sri Lankan minister said on Tuesday that a radical cleric, who is now under detention, has been identified as the mastermind of the deadly Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians.

Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of deadly blasts on April 21, 2019. As many as eight blasts occurred in and around the capital Colombo, as large groups gathered at churches for Easter. Three churches, St. Anthony's Shrine, St. Sebastian's church and Zion Church and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital, Colombo, were targeted in a series of coordinated Islamic terrorist suicide bombings. More than 300 people lost their lives in the attack and several were injured.

"Naufer Moulavi was the mastermind (of the Easter bombings)," Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekera told reporters. Weerasekera said that the cleric was assisted by another person identified as Hajjul Akbar. He said 32 suspects have been charged with murder and conspiracy to murder. Eight dossiers have been handed over to the Attorney General, he said, adding that another 75 suspects are under detention. The total number of suspects in the remand custody is 211, including the 32, who have been charged, he added.

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