4 killed, 28 injured in Colombo blast
Colombo, (PTI): At least four persons were killed and 28 injured on Wednesday in a landmine attack on an army bus by suspected LTTE militants in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital, a day after a Tamil lawmaker was shot dead at a temple here.
"LTTE militants have carried out a cowardly bomb attack targeting civilians and an Army bus carrying sick personnel in Colombo this morning," a Defence Ministry statement said.
The explosion took place at 9.30 a.m. in front of Nippon Hotel at Slave Island, where the military has several key installations.
The fragmentation mine targeted an army bus ferrying wounded soldiers, it said although hospital officials said most of the victims were civilians.
Four people -- a soldier and three civilians -- were killed, while 28 others injured, it said adding, the condition of four of them was stated to be serious.
The bomb was apparently placed inside one of the external unit of the air conditioning machines of the hotel.
A Church building near the hotel and several vehicles that were at the location have been damaged in the explosion.
Security Forces immediately rushed to the scene.
Former Sri Lankan Minister and Opposition lawmaker, T Maheswaran, who survived an attack in 2004, fell to the bullets of unidentified gunmen at a temple where he had gone offer prayers on New Year.
