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Chandrika Kumaratunga injured in blast

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga was injured in a powerful bomb explosion at an election rally in Colombo tonight.

She was admitted to the Navlok Hospital and reported to be out of danger, police sources said.

The explosion occurred as Kumaratunga was about to leave after addressing the rally at the Town Hall grounds in the capital.

Senior Cabinet ministers G L Peries and Kingsly Wickremeratne were among the several persons injured in the blast which took place at 2130 local time.

In another explosion at an opposition United National Party rally at Jaela, about 15km from Colombo, a retired major was among five persons killed. Forty people were injured in the incident.

Today was the last day of campaigning for the Presidential election, scheduled for December 21.

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