Four killed in claymore attack on Army bus

RAFIK JALALDEEN

A claymore mine targeting an Army bus exploded in front of Nippon Hotel, Slave Island yesterday, killing four persons including two school children and injuring 24 others.

Three civilians and a soldier were killed when the claymore mine went off around 9.30 a.m, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

"The Army bus plying from Army Headquarters to the Narahenpita hospital carrying 13 soldiers was targeted by the LTTE," he added.
 

Director of Colombo National Hospital Accident Service Dr. Anil Jasinghe said 28 persons were admitted to the hospital from the blast site and four of them died before admission including a female civilian.

"Four critically injured were treated at the Intensive Care Unit and the rest who suffered minor injuries were treated in wards 72 and 73," he told the Daily News. Preliminary investigations revealed the claymore mine was placed inside the external unit of an air conditioner of the Nippon Hotel.

"The Army bus and part of the Nippon hotel were severely damaged in the explosion. A three wheeler parked near the sidewalk and several other vehicles passing by were damaged," Police Media spokesman Senior DIG N.K.Ilangakoon said.
 

The road was closed and security was beefed up in the area. "A cordon and search operation was launched by police jointly with the Security Forces in the area and the situation was brought under control," DIG Ilangakoon added.

The Government Analyst's experts assessed that the remote-controlled bomb probably weighed four killogrammes.

DIG Ilangakoon pointed out that three civilian victims were passing by in the street while the bomb went off. They were relatives returning from a funeral. The victims had been identified as M.L. Bandara (15), Pethum Disanayaka (16), Renuka Krishanthi (42) and Jayantha Kumara (soldier).