Attacks in Sri Lanka. He escapes the bomb because he didn’t want to stand in the church

On Sunday, a series of attacks on Sri Lankan soil left several hundred dead and injured. Dilip Fernando, a Sri Lankan Catholic recounts how, for lack of space, his life was saved that day. His family, who remained outside the church, are convinced of having crossed paths with the suicide bomber, a young man who looks innocent, in his thirties, who joined mass towards the end.

When Dilip Fernando arrived on Sunday, there was such a crowd at his church in Negombo, north of Colombo ( Sri Lanka ), that he chose to go to Easter Mass elsewhere, so as not to stand up. This decision may have saved his life. Soon after, a bomb caused death and chaos there, part of a series of bombings that killed around 290 people within hours in Sri Lanka on Sunday , mostly at churches and upscale hotels.

Monday morning, Dilip Fernando returned to the scene of the tragedy, from which his family miraculously escaped unharmed. “This is where I usually come to mass,” says this 66-year-old retiree near the Saint-Sébastien church who bears the scars of the horror of the day before. Around, dozens of members of the security forces patrol.

“He was without a doubt the suicide bomber”

“Yesterday my wife and I arrived at 7:30 am but it was so crowded there was no room for me. I didn’t want to stay standing so I went to another church. “ But seven members of his family, including his two granddaughters, have chosen to stay and sit outside.

It was there that they saw a young man whom they suspect to have been the suicide bomber responsible for the carnage. “At the end of mass, they saw a young man entering the church with a heavy bag , ” recounts Dilip Fernando, who is convinced of this later: “It was without a doubt the suicide bomber. “ ” They said it was unusual to enter the church at that time there “ , he says.

“By the way, he touched the head of my two-year-old granddaughter, which my family didn’t like,” he adds. “They wondered, ‘Who is that? Isn’t it going to go into the church at the end of mass?’ “

“He was so calm”

“He looked very young and innocent to them, maybe in his thirties,” he explains. “He didn’t seem agitated, and didn’t seem to be afraid. He was so calm. “ Shortly after he entered the church, a huge explosion sounded. “They ran away. They were so scared. They immediately called me to find out if I was inside, but I was then in another church. “

No member of his family was injured. But the community of the faithful has collapsed. “We were lucky but we are really sad for the whole village,” he said. “There is going to be a very large funeral. “

“We are not afraid. We will not let the terrorists win. Never ! “ The Catholics of Sri Lanka, representing 6% of the population, do not be intimidated, he said. However, he refuses any idea of ​​revenge. “Getting revenge is useless. It is up to the government to control this. Not to us. “

However, the government admitted upstream that it had heard of planned attacks: “An attack like this should not have taken place. “

Aishwarya Yogeshwar

Aishwarya Yogeshwar is the visionary founder of CGI Jaffna, a pioneering organization dedicated to fostering innovation and community growth in the Jaffna region. With a deep passion for news publishing, Aishwarya combines her entrepreneurial spirit with a keen interest in delivering impactful and engaging stories. Her commitment to creating a platform for reliable news and meaningful discourse reflects her dedication to empowering communities through knowledge and information. Aishwarya’s leadership and innovative approach make her a driving force in the world of media and communication.

See author's posts