Elections in Sri Lanka have been marred in the past by violence but Tuesday’s shooting in Tangalle in Rajapaksa’s Hambantota district was the first in the run-up to the presidential vote. Gunmen on a passing motorcycle fired on the bus killing a woman and wounding eight others, police said quoting local media reports.
Fonseka, a former general, quit the army and entered politics last month over differences with President Mahinda Rajapaksa who accused him of trying to seize power after crushing separatist LTTE last year.
Already, there have been a record 251 violent incidents related to the January 26 election.
Published 12 January 2010, 17:06 IST