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Published 12 Dec, 2004 12:00am

2 die in blast at Shahrukh concert in Colombo

COLOMBO, Dec 11: At least two people were killed and 15 others were injured when a bomb exploded on Saturday at the end of a concert by Indian superstar Shahrukh Khan in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.

A bomb ripped through the stands just as Shahrukh ended a concert that went ahead despite complaints by Buddhist monks unhappy that the show coincided with the anniversary of the death last year of a popular monk.

"Two people were dead when they were brought in," a doctor at the Colombo national hospital said. "There are another 15 injured admitted. They all have shrapnel injuries caused by a hand grenade or a hand bomb."

The India star and his troupe were unharmed, police said.

The monks called off plans to protest during the three-hour concert, but their followers clashed with police who fired teargas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse mobs near the concert venue.

Police also arrested more than a dozen men who attacked cars and concert-goers.-AFP

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