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Gang rivalries blamed for Sri Lankan bomb blast

Sri Lankan police believe a deadly bomb blast north of the capital, Colombo was connected to gang rivalries.

Eleven are dead and more than 200 injured, as South Asia correspondent Jonathan Harley reports:

The blast occurred while thousands were attending a concert of two popular Indian singers in a football stadium in Kurunegala about 100 kilometres north east of Colombo. Reports suggest the explosions were caused by one or two hand grenades or homemade bombs. Casualties were increased as crowds fled causing a stampede. While explosions in Sri Lanka are often connected to the long running civil war, police say there had been clashes between rival gangs throughout the night which they believe led to these attacks.

2/04/01 21:51:58 | ABC Radio Australia News

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