Blast in arms fair injures 17

Published February 7, 2007

COLOMBO, Feb 6: At least 17 people were injured when an anti-personnel mine on display at an exhibition in Colombo exploded accidentally on Tuesday evening, the military said.

The injured included two police commandos, two Buddhist monks and 13 civilians, authorities said.

The mine was part of a cache of weaponry belonging to the military being exhibited at the BMICH convention centre in the capital.

The exhibition was to commemorate Sri Lanka’s 59th anniversary of independence from the British and had on display both military weapons as well as weapons captured from the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...