This week in history: July 19–25 18 July 2021 25 years ago: LTTE train bombing kills dozens of workers in Sri Lanka On July 24, 1996, a bombing carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at the Dehiwala train station outside of Colombo killed 64 commuters. A further 400 people were wounded. The LTTE operatives placed suitcase bombs containing over 200 pounds of explosives in four carriages at the height of rush hour. The act was deliberately aimed at workers commuting to the suburban areas of Sri Lanka’s capital city. The train, scheduled to leave the Colombo Fort railway station after 5 p.m., was to carry city workers home after the day shift. The train was known as the “office train” and was extraordinarily packed. Over 2,000 people were on board the day of the attack.