As many as 20 foreigners including a 19-year old Indian girl Tarishi Jain, were killed in the worst ever terror attack in the history of Bangladesh when gunmen attacked Cafe Holey Artisan last evening. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that 20 people were killed in the attack.

In a series of tweets, External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj has expressed her condolences  and explained what steps her ministry is taking to help the grieving family.

“I am extremely pained to share that the terrorists have killed Tarushi, an Indian girl who was taken hostage in the terror attack in Dhaka,” tweeted Swaraj.

“Tarishi was 19 years old. She passed out from American School Dhaka. Presently, she was a student at Berkeley,” reads another tweet by the minister.

She added, “I have spoken to her father Shri Sanjeev Jain and conveyed our deepest condolences.The country is with them in this hour of grief.”

Rubbishing the report that her family is not getting any help, Sushma Swaraj said that the officials are in constant touch with her uncle Rakesh Jain and the government has provided a visa to her family.

“I spoke to Tarishi’s father and offered him all assistance. We have arranged Visa for family and they are flying tommw,” tweeted Swaraj.

Sushma Swaraj also indicated that the ministry was in touch with her kin through this tweet: “We are coordinating with Tarishi’s uncle Rakesh Jain.”

Sushma indicated that the Indian govt was alive to the situation and was treating this attack and the killing of an Indian by terrorists extremely seriously through this tweet: “I monitored this personally the whole night. Our Dy High Commnr in Dhaka Adarsh Swaika is with family since yesterday.”

Earlier, Bangladesh Army conducted ‘Operation Thunderbolt’ to end the hostage crisis, informed Brigadier General Nayeem Ashfaq Chowdhury, Director of Military Operations, in a press briefing.

After the gunfight ended, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that security forces have successfully conducted the operation, freeing 13 hostages after killing six terrorists and capturing one militant.

(With inputs from TV)