India lifts travel warnings on Sri Lanka; cautions to be ‘careful and vigilant’

Acknowledging the return of normalcy in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday terror attacks, the Indian government on Tuesday advised its citizens to be “careful and vigilant” while traveling to the island nation, unlike the previous travel advisory where Indians were told to avoid all non-essential travel to the country altogether.

“Security situation in Sri Lanka is gradually returning to normal with the lifting of curfew and restrictions on social media and the opening of schools. Indian nationals traveling to Sri Lanka are advised to be careful and vigilant,” an official release said.

In the latest travel advisory, Indian nationals requiring assistance have been told to get in touch with the Indian High Commission in Colombo or the Assistant High Commission in Kandy and Consulates in Jaffna and Hambantota at any given time.

At least 253 people were killed and around 500 were injured after multiple locations were bombed in a coordinated attack on Easter Sunday last month. The Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack, which was strongly condemned by the world community.

In the aftermath of the attacks, the Sri Lankan authorities launched operations to weed out ‘sleepers’ or terrorists who could initiate further attacks.

-Agencies