Last Sunday evening, Mr. Rajapaksa had been visiting Ven. Dawuldena Gnanissara Thera, who was being admitted to the Asha Central Hospital in Colombo for medical treatment.

He was joined by former MP Udith Lokubandara and MP Bandula Gunewardena.

Afterwards, they had visited MP Salinda Dissanayake, who was also receiving medical treatment at a higher floor of the hospital.

The former President was enjoying the view from the room windows when the lights and smoke from the explosion had become visible.

Muttering 'who is lighting fireworks at this time of the day,' Mr. Rajapaksa has used his mobile phone to video the lights and smoke visible from a distance while Lokubandara and Gunewardena had done the same.