Sri Lankans urged to pray privately

Sri Lankans of different faiths were being urged to pray privately amid fears of further attacks on Friday.

The call to avoid places of worship comes as Sri Lanka enters the first weekend of religious services following the Easter Sunday bombings, CNN reported.

Ahead of Friday's dawn prayers, Muslims were asked not to gather publicly for the congregational prayer service, known as the Jum'ah, according to a statement labelled "very urgent" on Thursday by Sri Lanka's Minister of Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs Mohamed Hashim Abdul Haleem.

However, some mosques defied the call, opening for midday prayers on Friday.

Catholic services across Colombo have also been suspended, until April 29, because of security concerns, according to Fr. Edmond Tillekeratne, media director of the Archdiocese.

The decision, which will see Catholic churches in the capital shuttered for services this Sunday, was made at the direction of Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.

According to a revised death toll, 253 people died in the coordinated attacks on Sunday. IANS