Heroes are emerging after the deadly Easter Sunday attack in Sri Lanka that claimed the lives of some 360 people, injuring some other 500.
In one of the deadly attacks on three churches, St Sebastian Church lost 100 of its congregants at one go.
This was after a suicide bomber casually walked into the fully-packed church, and detonated his back-pack full of explosives.
In a CCTV footage that has since gone viral since its release Tuesday, the man is seen tapping on a young girl’s head before proceeding to the Church pew, where he blows up.
Hero Dies For Many
But some kilometres away from Sebastian Church, a man, Ramesh Raju, stopped a suicide bomber from entering the Zion Church in Batticaloa.
Raju had spotted the young man carrying a heavy back-pack on his back, and had questioned him about where he was going to.
Reports indicate that the bomber casually replied that he was heading into the church to film the service.
In his bag, he said, was a video recorder.
However, a suspicious Raju could take none of it, and he challenged him to stay clear of the church.
After seeing the man sticking around the church for sometime, Raju is said to have advised him to go and seek relevant permission first before he could get inside the building.
“My husband sensed something was wrong, and informed him he’d need to get permission first.
“He then forced him to leave,” Raju’s wife, Chrishanthini, told reporters.
At the time, some 450 worshipers were holed up in intense prayers that commemorate the resurrection of Christ.
Realizing that Raju would not budge to his demands of accessing the church, the suicide bomber detonated the explosives killing Raju and other bystanders instantly.
Raju was burried on Monday, with local police and members of the church being among the people who attended the ceremony.
“I love my Jesus, I love my Jesus,” Raju’s wife cried, as tears streamed down her face.
