45 injured in Pettah bomb explosion

By Jayampathy Jayasinghe

jj@sundayobserver
 

Forty-five people were injured following a bomb explosion near the Pettah Bo tree yesterday afternoon creating pandemonium among shopkeepers, vendors and shoppers in the area.

Police Media Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunesekera told the Sunday Observer that the explosion occurred under a clock vendor’s table where the explosive device was believed to have been hidden, a few metres away from the Bo-Tree junction in Pettah. The explosion occurred around 12 noon yesterday. The Government Analyst too visited the scene of the blast yesterday.

“The device had contained about 50-75 grammes of explosives with a timer.

There were several people at the clock vendor’s table, choosing clocks when the explosion rocked the area.”

The road was opened to traffic by 2.p.m after the Government Analyst concluded investigations, SSP Gunesekara said.

Several police teams are conducting investigations. No arrests have been made so far.

According to the National Hospital Director Dr. Anil Jaysinghe around 45 persons with injuries were admitted to the Hospital and no deaths were reported.

Most people had sustained minor injuries except for three persons, he said.