The Hindu : International : Temptation turns out to be fatal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 13, 2004

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International

Temptation turns out to be fatal

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO DEC. 12. Temptation turned out to be fatal for a Sri Lankan hotel employee, Maheshika, who was one of the two persons killed in Saturday's grenade explosion at a concert featuring the Bollywood star, Shahrukh Khan.

Maheshika, a telephone operator at the Taj Samudra, was pregnant when she was killed at the `Temptation 2004' concert. The other person killed has been identified as a photographer of a Sinhalese newspaper.

Maheshika moved onward to the sterile zone (between the VIP seating area and the dais) hoping to be spotted by the Indian film star and invited to the stage, eyewitnesses said.

The grenade was lobbed in the direction of the dais as the concert drew to an end, killing Maheshika and the photographer.

`No suspects yet'

Police investigations have not thrown up any suspects, but according to sources, the safety pin of a grenade was found near the third row of the audience, indicating proximity of the attacker to the VIP enclosure.

A host of Sri Lankan dignitaries and Indian diplomats, including the High Commissioner, Nirupama Rao; the Deputy High Commissioner, Mohankumar, and other officers, who were seated in the first row escaped unhurt and were escorted to safety by their security personnel. Ritu Shastri, wife of the former Indian cricketer, Ravi Shastri, was the only Indian to sustain injuries, which were described by hospital sources as ``minimal''.

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