Colombo, April 25 (IANS) Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando resigned on Thursday, accepting responsibility for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed 359 people.

Fernando told an international news agency that while there had been no failure on his own part, he was taking responsibility for the failures of some institutions which were under his command.

President Maithripala Sirisena had earlier asked the Defence Secretary and the police chief to quit.

--IANS mr/vd/prs