At least 18 people were killed and over 37 injured when a powerful bomb exploded in a busy market area near the Sri Lankan capital on Wednesday, hours after a suspected woman Tamil Tigers suicide bomber blew herself up in the office of a minister and senior Tamil political leader which left one of his aides dead.
The explosion in Nugegoda, 10 kms from here, took place when a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam militant handed over a parcel bomb to the bag counter of the popular NOLIMIT garment store, police said.
A man handed over a parcel to the bag counter of the store before entering, and a few minutes later, walked out without collecting it from the counter, sources said quoting shop assistants. The parcel exploded after some time.
The powerful blast led to a minor fire, which spread to several adjoining buildings. "The nature of the target indicates that the attack was deliberately perpetrated against innocent civilians," a government statement said.
The blast came hours after Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda, a senior Tamil political leader, escaped unhurt when a suspected LTTE suicide bomber blew herself up in his office.
The bomber, a physically challenged woman, got past one layer of security in the office of Devananda but detonated the bomb when she was stopped at the second check-post near his room, officials said.
The Public Relations Officer of the Minister, Stephen Perras, was wounded and died in a hospital, they said, adding one of Devananda's bodyguards was seriously injured.
Military sources said the bodies of around 17 people killed in the Nugegoda bomb attack have been brought to the Kalubovila hospital, where 37 of those injured were also admitted.