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A grenade explosion killed 12 people and wounded over 200 in the early hours [1.20 am SL time] of Sunday in Kurunegala, North West of Sri Lanka. The blast occurred during a road show organized by a private Radio/TV station. Early reports indicate a grenade had been lobbed into the crowd following a clash between two rival parties. The Stadium was packed with around 75,000 people to witness the "Shri Swarna Wasanthaya" a show organized in the run up to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. There were also some Indian musicians on show. The Police Superintendent of the area Ravi Wijegunawardene said 545 police personnel were on duty the vicinity of the stadium. He said bomb experts have concluded that the grenade used for the attack was released to the military. He ruled out direct involvement of villages but confirmed it was an outcome of a long-standing rivalry between two local gangs. He said it is believed military deserters were also among those involved. No arrests have been made yet. Investigations are continuing. Dr. Saradha Hemapriya of the Kurunagala General Hospital confirmed five had died, and 154 persons were discharged after treatment from his hospital. Dr. Hector Weerasinhe of the General Hospital Colombo said seven patients among those transferred to his hospital had died.
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