The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Colombo

At least ten people died and 97 others were injured on Sunday in a suicide bomb attack onboard a train at the main railway station in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, police and hospital sources said.

"We received 97 patients," said a spokeswoman for Colombo's main hospital, Pushpa Soysa. "Ten people were dead on admission."

A police spokesman said the attack was carried out by a suspected rebel Tamil Tiger woman suicide bomber as a suburban train pulled into the station in the heart of Colombo.

"Train services have been stopped and the injured have been rushed to the main hospital with six critically hurt," said the spokesman, N. Illangakoon.

Earlier Sunday, at least six visitors to a zoo on the outskirts of the capital were wounded in a hand grenade attack, despite tight security ahead of Sri Lanka's independence day celebrations on Monday.

Sri Lanka marks its 60th independence day Monday amid bomb attacks against civilians, ferocious fighting with Tamil rebels and growing international concern over the island's human rights record.

Freedom Day events in heavily-guarded Colombo will be held despite mourning for 20 passengers killed by a bus bomb Saturday in north-central Sri Lanka and six people injured Sunday in a hand grenade attack at Sri Lanka's main zoo near the capital, authorities said.