Dalada Maligawa, Kandy

The LTTE exploded a massive truck bomb inside the premises of the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic), one of the most important Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka, on January 25th 1998. The temple was going to be the centre piece of the 50 years of Independence (from the British) celebrations planned for February 4th.

Eight persons were killed and many more wounded. The Sinhala militant group, JVP, also attempted to attack the Dalada Maligawa, on February 8th 1989, in the hope of seizing the sacred tooth relic, but they were thwarted by vigilant policemen and two JVP cadre were fatally shot.