Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Tuesday lifted the blockade on a canal over which the rebel outfit fought heavy battles with Sri Lankan security forces for over two weeks, leaving 440 people dead.

The LTTE opened the sluice gates freeing water to some 15,000 farmer families downstream following a request from peace broker Norway.

'Despite Monday's shelling by Sri Lankan forces that prevented the water sluice gate from being opened, Maavilaru villagers and LTTE officials opened the Maavilaru water sluice gate on Tuesday around 5.00 pm,' an LTTE statement said.

The battle for water has been the bloodiest since the two sides entered into a truce in February 2002. The rebels lifted the 19-day blockade despite the government declaring that it would not allow them access to the sluice gates to control the distribution of water. There was no immediate reaction from the government.

The reopening of the canal came hours after three people, including a child, were killed and seven injured in a powerful car bomb blast in capital Colombo, apparently targeting a Tamil politician who is among the wounded.

M Sivadasan, a former parliamentarian and a top aide of Douglas Devananda, the leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party, was injured in the explosion, which occurred in a crowded residential area of Colombo. The  police blamed LTTE for the attack. EPDP is opposed to the separatist ideology of the LTTE.