Colombo - One of Sri Lanka's senior cabinet ministers and at least 10 others were killed in a bomb explosion on Sunday morning in close to the capital, police said.

Minister of Highways and Road Development, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was killed at Weliweriya, 15 kilo metres east of the capital as he was flagging a cycle race to mark the traditional new year season.

Several others were also injured, police said.(dpa)