Sri Lanka has deported over 600 foreign nationals including around 200 Islamic preachers and tightened visa regulations since the Easter Sunday attacks which killed over 250 people. Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena said that the preachers had entered the country legally but were found to have overstayed their visas, for which fines were imposed and they were deported from the country.
He said the government has taken a decision to tighten visa restrictions for religious teachers considering the current situation in the country. The minister did not give the nationalities of those deported, but police have said many of them were from Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Pakistan.
The minister said the government was overhauling the country’s visa policy following fears that foreign preachers could radicalise locals for a repeat of the suicide bombings, which targeted three Christian churches and three luxury hotels.