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Death toll from shooting at Sri Lankan election rally rises to 2

Xinhua, August 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The death toll from shooting at a Sri Lankan election rally last week rose to two on Monday after another victim succumbed to his injuries at the Colombo National Hospital.

The incident, which took place on Friday at a rally attended by Finance Minister and member of the ruling United National Party ( UNP) Ravi Karunanayake, left 1 dead and at least 13 injured.

It is reported that four men sprayed bullets from a car driving past the outdoor rally held in capital Colombo and attended by over 600 people.

A woman was killed on the spot and 13 others with gunshot injuries were rushed to hospital.

The police media unit said that the second victim, B. Niroshan Sampath died in the early hours of Monday while receiving treatment at an intensive care unit.

Local election monitors said the shooting was the worst incident of election-related violence since 2011.

Karunanayake has since then blamed the opposition United People 's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) for the attack.

"This act is a complete breach of democracy sponsored by a bankrupt opposition," the minister, who was unhurt in the attack, told journalists last week.

The opposition however has denied any involvement.

Sri Lanka will face a parliamentary election on Aug. 17 to elect a new 225-member parliament with the two major parties - the UNP and UPFA - fighting for a majority to form a new government in the island nation. Endi