Dehiwala train blast kills eight

Dehiwala: At least eight passengers, including four women, were killed when a LTTE parcel bomb exploded in a crowded office train near Dehiwala around 4.50 last afternoon.

More than 70 persons were injured in the explosion which occurred in the fifth compartment of the 1625 hrs Panadura-bound office train (No.763) from Maradana, Police spokesman SSP R. Gunasekara said. A pregnant woman was among the dead.

"The explosion occurred just as the train was leaving the Dehiwala station towards Panadura," eyewitnesses said. Nearly 60 passengers have boarded the 12-compartment semi-express train at Dehiwala.

The injured were rushed to the nearby Kalubowila (Colombo South) Teaching Hospital. Around 15 critically injured passengers underwent emergency surgery.

The affected compartment and nearby compartments were wrecked. The parcel bomb with a timer mechanism is believed to have been placed on an overhead luggage rack in the rush hour train.

Services on the Southern rail line came to a standstill as rescue and clearing work got underway. Train services were restored late last night.

Army and Police teams undertook a special search operation immediately after the blast and bolstered security in the area. The Magistrate and Judicial Medical Officer visited the scene. Railway General Manager, railway security officials and Government Analyst's Dept personnel also inspected the blast site.

A similar explosion in July 1996 also in Dehiwala killed a number of people. On February 3, 2008, a LTTE suicide terrorist blew herself up at the Colombo Fort station killing 15, mostly schoolchildren.

It was only on Sunday that alert civilians in Kirillawala and Moratuwa areas found two powerful bombs with timing devices hidden in two separate buses. The timely detection of those two bombs by the bus conductor and another passenger saved many lives. They have advised bus crew not to allow any passenger to place parcels on the luggage racks.

Defence authorities reiterated the need for increased public vigilance in the light of increased attempts by the LTTE create carnage in the South.