Blast near Team India's hotel in SL

Colombo (Sri Lanka): Seven people were killed and 17 others reported injured when two powerful Claymore fragmentation mines hit a Pakistan embassy convoy in the Sri Lankan capital near President Mahinda Rajapakse's official residence.

Incidentally, the Indian cricket team is staying in the Taj Samudra Hotel which is about 4 kilometre away from site of the blast. Security has been beefed up near the hotel after the blast.

The explosion took place near the Liberty Plaza roundabout, close to the first barrier leading to the President's Temple Trees residence, police said.

A military convoy escorting a Pakistan Embassy vehicle was hit in the blast but only a Land Rover at the rear was caught in the blast.

Four military personnel and three civilians were killed in the blast, which bomb squad officials said was caused by a fragmentation mine inside a three wheeler taxi.

"We have heard that one VIP car and a backup security vehicle was hit by the blast," a police official said.

Reuters has quoted Colombo National Hospital director Hector Weerasinghe as saying, "Seven people were dead on arrival. We have 17 other people who are injured and being treated now."

All the members of the Indian cricket team are safe. Sources told CNN-IBN that the Indian team will not be recalled.

Team's media manager Rajan Nair said that there was nothing to worry about.

"We were not even aware of the incident till somebody came and informed us. We didn't hear anything either," he said. "There's nothing to worry. All the players in the hotel are safe and secure," he added.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India vice president Lalit Modi said if today’s match is rescheduled it will be because of the rains and not the blast.

Sri Lankan military spokesperson Atula Jyawardene said the target of the blast was a high-ranking diplomat. He added that it was the handiwork of the LTTE and assured that all efforts are being taken to provide foolproof security to the Indian team.

Meanwhile the first match of the tri-series between Sri Lanka and South Africa has been called off due to heavy rains.

The blast comes just hours after a Tamil Tiger front threatened to attack civilians if the military continued attacks on the LTTE territory. The rebels had earlier on Monday accused the government of bombing an orphanage in rebel territory and killing 43 schoolgirls.

Pakistan, which is the main small arms supplier to Sri Lanka, "strongly" condemned the blast. "The attack was on our High Commissioner who is safe but his car is damaged. Three members of his security team were injured," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said in Islamabad.

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