At least four were killed and several injured in a blast this morning outside one of the entry gates to the Delhi High Court complex crowded with visitors seeking entry into the premises.

The explosion occurred outside gate No.5 where 100 to 200 people were waiting in queue to get passes for entry into the court complex.Union Home Secretary R K Singh, at least nine people were feared dead and 23 others were injured in the blast. The bomb was apparently kept in a brief case.

Some of the injured were being treated at a dispensary in the court itself while others were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Court business is usually heavy on Wednesday which is listed as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) day when the visitors come to the court in large numbers.

Ambulances and fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

Area cordoned off

The blast area has been cordoned off and police have asked people to clear the area.

Top officials of Delhi police including Special Commissioner (law and order) Dharmendra Kumar and Joint Commissioner of Special Cell R S Krishnaiah have rushed to the spot.

Jt Commissioner (Crime) Sandip Goyal and Special Commissioner P N Aggarwal also joined them.

Mr. Kumar said it was too early to ascertain the exact nature of the blast. He declined to speculate whether the blast was of low intensity or high intensity.

It is in the second time in four months that a blast occured outside the Delhi High Court complex.

An explosion on May 25 triggered panic prompting the authorities to sound a high alert in the capital and tighten security at public places. No one was injured.

Low-intensity explosives, wrapped in a polythene bag and kept close to the car parked near Gate No. 7, went off around 1.30 p.m. Ammonium nitrate, a battery—like object, wires and some nails were found at the site by forensic experts.

- The Hindu