2 killed in Sri Lankan capital at Indian mega star show

Two fans attending a concert staged by a mega Indian film star were killed late on Saturday night with a dozen suffering injuries, police said early Sunday morning.

A grenade was thrown at the concert some 15 minutes before its scheduled close at 11:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT).

The police had earlier in the evening fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse a group of rioters who were protesting against the staging of a concert attended by Shahrukh Khan.

The riot Saturday evening followed a protest launched by a dozens of monks who slept overnight in a tent at the capital's old race course.

Several people including Buddhist Monks were injured as the rioters clashed with the police. The police said they had arrested 12 protestors.

The Indian mega star Shahrukh Khan and his troupe staged the Temptation 2004 concert at the race course ground in the city's fashionable residential area of Cinnamon Gardens.

The Buddhist revivalist groups distributed leaflets asking fans to boycott the show as it coincided with the first death anniversary of a popular monk Gangodawila Soma.

Soma through his popular sermons led a revivalist campaign and his devotees were to mark this weekend by carrying out meritorious acts in his memory.

The protestors earlier in the week had urged the Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) Nirupama Rao to intervene to stop Saturday's concert.

Some of the fans attended the show by paying 10,000 rupees (about 100 dollars) each and was billed as the biggest musical show in Sri Lanka this year.

The grenade explosion had occurred in the 10,000 rupee seating area, the police said.

Source: Xinhua