Batticaloa blast kills two

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 July 1999, 07:28 GMT]
A powerful bomb, fixed to a bicycle, exploded opposite the Batticaloa police station at about 10.55 a.m. this morning killing two civilians and injuring another 18, including three policemen, said sources.

Security sources believe that the cycle bomb was aimed at the military convoy that was scheduled to pass through the road from Batticaloa to Polonnaruwa this morning. The bomb exploded on the Batticaloa-Trincomalee main road.

There was also some damage to the police station and vehicles during the explosion.

Sources said that some shops in the area were damaged due to the impact of the explosion.

Fifty eight year old Arulsabapathy of Batticaloa and another woman of about 50 years were killed on the spot, the sources added.

The Batticaloa Additional District Judge, Mr.K.Thadchchanamoorthy, inspected the scene soon after the incident.

The road was immediately closed.

Batticaloa town was tense following the incident, said sources in the area.