Roundup: India strongly condemns terrorist attack in Dhaka, mourns victims

India on Saturday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the Bangladesh capital, in which 20 foreigners, including an Indian girl, were killed.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Saturday and condemned the "despicable attack" in Dhaka.

"My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that those who are injured recover quickly," the prime minister said in a series of tweets.

"The attack in Dhaka has pained us beyond words. I spoke to PM Sheikh Hasina & strongly condemned the despicable attack," he said, adding that India "stands firmly with our sisters and brothers of Bangladesh" in this hour of grief.

An Indian girl, Tarushi Jain, was among the 20 hostages killed by terrorists in the siege on a cafe in the Bangladeshi capital, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

"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," Swaraj tweeted.

"I have spoken to her father Shri Sanjeev Jain and conveyed our deepest condolences. The country is with them in this hour of grief," she said.

India put its border forces on alert Saturday in eastern and northeastern states bordering Bangladesh. The Home Ministry has directed the Border Security Force and other agencies to keep strict vigil along the international borders.

India has also expressed concern about the situation in the neighbouring country after a Hindu priest was hacked to death last week by attackers in Bangladesh.

India and Bangladesh share a long border where local people can cross visa-free, which has raised security concerns in New Delhi over possible infiltration of terrorists and drug traffickers, among other criminals, into northeastern India. Endit