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COLOMBO, Oct 6 (Reuters) -- A suicide blast in the north-central Sri Lankan town of Anuradhapura killed 22 people including an opposition leader who is a former army general, Sri Lankan police said on Monday.

"A suicide bomber went inside and exploded. My senior officer there said 22 people were killed and among the dead were Janaka Perera and his wife," Deputy Inspector General K.P.P. Pathirana told Reuters.

Perera is a former army general who is the leader of the main opposition United National Party in North Central Province. (Reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Jerry Norton)

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