In Australia, 16-hour long hostage crisis has ended and two Indian nationals trapped in the incident are safe. Heavily-armed police tonight stormed a popular Sydney cafe where a gunman of Iranian-origin had been holding about 15 people, including two Indians. Now, New South Wales Police tweeted that Sydney siege is over. A police spokesman confirmed that the operation is over but did not released further details. Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has said that two Indian nationals–Vishwakant Ankireddy and Pushpendu Ghosh– involved in the Sydney crisis are safe. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring the situation throughout the hostage crisis. Earler, Mr. Modi expressed deep concern over the siege incident. Media reports said two were killed and three others seriously injured in the raid but police said they cannot confirm the casualties.
The siege began after 9 AM local time and the gunman was identified by local media as Haron Monis, who was granted political asylum in Australia. The 50-year-old was described by his former lawyer as an isolated figure, who was acting alone. The gunman, who arrived in Australia as a refugee in 1996, achieved notoriety after he sent letters to the families of Australian soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan, accusing them of being murderers. Although the Indian cricket team is currently in Brisbane, some 700 kms away from Sydney security around them has also been significantly beefed up in the wake of the hostage crisis in Sydney. Australian authorities have conveyed to the Indian government that the team's security has been enhanced.
Over 40 Australian Muslim groups have expressed utter shock and horror over the siege at a popular cafe in Sydney in which a number of people have been taken hostage. In a statement, they said that they reject any attempt to take the life of any innocent human being or to instill fear and terror into their hearts. They further said, this is a time for all Australians to stand together and support each other.
