20 killed in Sri Lanka bus explosion

COLOMBO: At least 20 people were killed and 50 injured on Saturday when a powerful bomb, planted by suspected Tamil Tigers, ripped through a packed bus carrying civilians in a central Sri Lankan town. The blast inside the private bus, heading to Anuradhapura from Kandy, occurred at 7.05 am local time at a bus stand in Dambulla town, located 148 kms from the capital Colombo, the army said. Defence sources believed that this was another "treacherous act of the LTTE targeting innocent civilians," it said. The blast left four passengers seriously injured. They were taken to the general hospital at Matale with head injuries. Among the dead and wounded were many Buddhist devotees, who were on a pilgrimage to the sacred Anuradhapura city, Dambulla Police said.