Parcel bomb at Gal Oya

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 January 2000, 14:37 GMT]
A passenger was killed when a parcel bomb exploded at Gal Oya railway station, 65 km. south-east of Anuradhapura, around 8 p.m. last night security sources said.

Gal Oya is an important railway station where, Colombo bound trains from Trincomalee and Batticaloa meet.

Due to the prevailing situation in Batticaloa, train service from Batticaloa to Colombo has been suspended. But the train commences its journey to Colombo from Polonnaruwa, about 85 km. north-west of Batticaloa.

On Sunday night when the Colombo bound Polonnaruwa train arrived Gal Oya railway station, a passenger noticed a parcel abandoned in one of the compartments. When that passenger attempted to throw it away, it exploded, killing him, security sources said.