Trincomalee 'calm' after curfew
The police in Sri Lanka have imposed curfew in the eastern town of Trincomalee after a series of bomb blasts.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rohan Abeywardhana told BBC Sandeshaya that 14 people including 2 security personnel were killed in a bomb blast near the vegetable market. The town is calm after the police imposed curfew, he added. More than 40 injured in the blast according to police. Angry crowds have set fire to shops and cars after the blast in Trincomalee Central Road. Eyewitness Saman Mallawaarachchi, Trincomalee Divaina correspondent, told bbcsinhala.com that he saw a several bodies scattered in the street. Crowds set fire to more than 10 shops along the Central Road and smokes were coming out from burning shops, Mallawarachchi added. He said the city was tense as crowds were gathering in search of their relatives. Police is yet to arrest any suspect, DIG Abeywardhana said. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sent Enterprise Development Minister Rohitha Bogollagama as his special envoy to Trincoamlee. Earlier, two policemen were killed and two hurt in a blast near the port. It was the latest suspected rebel attack on security forces since Monday, in which 20 people have died and comes ahead of talks aimed at saving a truce. Tamil Tiger rebels deny involvement in the attacks. The two parties are scheduled to meet in Geneva for talks on 19 April.