7 civilians were killed including a pregnant mother and 73 more passengers suffered injuries when the LTTE terrorists exploded a bomb inside a highly crowded Colombo-Panadura train around 4.55 p.m today.

According to the available information the explosion occurred inside the 5th carriage of the Panadura bound train which leaves the Maradana railway station around 4.25p.m.

It is believed that the parcel bomb exploded had been placed on the luggage rack in the train, police sources said.

Many of the victims were office workers headed home at the end of the workday and the victims who suffered injuries were rushed to the Kalubowila teaching hospital and National hospital Colombo.

Earlier, LTTE terrorists detonated two bombs in two carriages of a highly crowded train at the same railway station killing more than seventy and wounding over hundreds of innocent civilians in the same manner on 24th July 1996.

LTTE is a ruthless terrorist outfit notorious for crimes against innocent civilians. In its pursuit for a mono ethnic separate homeland for Tamils, the outfit has killed and maimed over tens and innocent children, Tamil and Sinhalese political leaders in indiscriminate bomb attacks. FBI in a recent report called LTTE the most dangerous terrorist outfit in the world.

The compartment of the train damaged due to the explosion. AFP	Security forces officials examine the train compartment following the explosion. AFP
An army soldier and volunteers pull out a survivor of a bomb blast. AFP	Medical staff treat an injured survivor of the train explosion, at Kalubowila hospital. (AP)
An innocent civilian who suffered critical injuries undergoing treatment in a ward of Kalubowila teaching hospital. AP	Security forces officials examine the train compartment following the explosion. Bodies of the innocent civilians killed seen on the ground. AFP