Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays condolences to families affected by Sydney hostage crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid his condolences to the families of the two innocent people who lost their lives in the hostage crisis at Sydney's Lindt Café.

"2 innocent people lost their lives in the hostage crisis. My deepest condolences to their families," tweeted Modi.

2 innocent people lost their lives in the hostage crisis. My deepest condolences to their families.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2014

Prime Minister Modi also had a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.

"Had a telephone conversation with PM @TonyAbbottMHR on the hostage crisis in Sydney," he added.

Had a telephone conversation with PM @TonyAbbottMHR on the hostage crisis in Sydney.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2014

"Appreciated PM @TonyAbbottMHR's leadership that led to resolving of the crisis and release of the hostages, which included 2 Indians," Modi said in a series of tweets.
 

Appreciated PM @TonyAbbottMHR's leadership that led to resolving of the crisis & release of the hostages, which included 2 Indians.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2014

Earlier on Monday, an Iranian-origin man, Haron Monis, took 17 customers and workers hostage at the Lindt Cafe at Sydney's Martin Place and displayed a black flag with Arabic script in the window, sparking a security alert in Australia. The 16-hour siege ended when heavily armed Australian police stormed into the cafe late on Monday night. The incident reportedly claimed the lives of the manager of the cafe and a 38-year-old woman lawyer besides the gunman.

Family members of Vishwakant Ankit Reddy, one of the two Indian hostages who made it out the Sydney cafe siege, celebrated on Monday night as news about his safety came in.