COLOMBO, April 21 — Sri Lanka’s most senior Catholic figure called today on the government to find the attackers behind deadly blasts that killed more than 160 people and "punish them mercilessly”.

"I would also like to ask the government to hold a very impartial strong inquiry and find out who is responsible behind this act and also to punish them mercilessly, because only animals can behave like that,” Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, told reporters.

Ranjith expressed his "deepest sorrow and sympathy” for those affected by the attacks and urged national unity.

"I ask all our Sri Lankan people not to take the law into their own hands and to maintain peace and harmony in this country,” he said. — AFP