Sri Lanka prez Maithripala Sirisena demands Defence secy, police chief's resignation

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has asked Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and police chief Pujith Jayasundara to resign after their failure to prevent the deadly blasts despite having the prior intelligence about the attacks.

In his address to the nation for the first time since the Easter Sunday blasts that killed 359 people and wounded more than 500 others, Sirisena said he will make changes in top positions in the security establishment within the next 24 hours. President Sirisena has also requested Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jayasundara and Defence Secretary Fernando to resign from their posts.

Top officials have acknowledged that Sri Lanka received intelligence about possible terror strikes, but both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that they did not receive it.

(The body of KG Hanumanthrayappa, who was killed in the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, came home to Bengaluru on Wednesday-AFP)

State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene accepted that there had been "major" lapses in security arrangements. "We (the government) have to take the responsibility," he said.

In an exclusive interview with Wion, Wijewardene thanked India for its help, saying, "From the beginning, the Indian government has given us assistance and information necessary for a thorough investigation. They have been very helpful."