Delhi blast: Sketches of the suspect

These are the sketches released by the Delhi Police of the man believed to be responsible for the blast at the Delhi High Court yesterday (Wednesday, September 7). Ahead: Blast hits Delhi High Court

A powerful blast took place at 10:15 am Wednesday morning at the Delhi High Court at Gate no 5.

Eleven people have died and over 50 injured.

The injured have been taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital; most have shrapnel injuries.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was heckled when he visited the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where some of those injured are being treated.

Rahul at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

Rahul also made a quick stop at the High Court.

Rahul at the blast site.

The Home Ministry has confirmed it was a terror attack and has issued a nation-wide alert. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram made a short statement on the blast in Parliament.

Police said the bomb was kept in a briefcase near a counter where those entering the court get passes made that permit entry into court.

Early reports indicate that it was not a crude blast that a sophisticated explosive device was used to cause a blast of medium to high intensity.

The High Court has been evacuated, a team of the National Security Guard (NSG) has reached the spot and policemen are checking cars near the court to ensure there are no more explosives around.

Bomb disposal squads with sniffer dogs are now santising the area. The police have cleared and blocked the area around the site of the blast.

The nature and magnitude of the blast was immediately not known.

The police control room received a phone call from the court at about 10.15 am requesting help. The blast took place just before the court opened for hearings.

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.

Lawyers said the blast could be heard at the Patiala House courts a few kilometres away.

Around 100 to 200 people were waiting at gate no. 5 in queue to get passes for entry into the court complex.

According to eyewitnesses, 20 to 25 persons were injured in the explosion which occurred at around 1015 AM and some of them may be in a critical condition. There was no official information on the exact number of injured.

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

In May this year, a blast took place in a car in a parking lot near the cafeteria of the High Court. At that time, nobody was injured. Police now say that could have been a dry run for today's attack.

Ambulances and fire tenders were rushed to the sput.

In Dhaka, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, "It's a cowardly act, we will not succumb."

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said that forensic experts were at the blast site examining evidence, the National Investigation Agency was handling the case and that the government would ensure the perpetrators were punished.

In the wake of the blast outside Delhi High Court, security on the Delhi Metro and its premises across the national capital was tightened today with bomb squads sanitising stations.