Suspicious parcel found in railway station in Colombo

Jewel SAMAD / AFP

A railway station in the Sri Lankan capital has been evacuated after an abandoned parcel was found near the tracks.

The area has been cordoned off and the bomb disposal squad is at the site.

The discovery was made two days after a string of suicide bombings in three Sri Lankan cities killed more than 300 people.

Sri Lankan government has blamed local terror group National Thowheed Jamath for the blasts, with defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene telling parliament that the "preliminary investigations" indicated that it was in retaliation for Christchurch attacks.

Elsewhere, the first mass funeral has begun as the country marks a day of mourning for the victims of Sunday's bomb blasts.

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