Moscow: A suicide bomber blew himself up in the Chechen capital Grozny, injuring seven people including five police officers outside a concert hall where pro-Russia Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov was present.
The explosion rocked Grozny last evening when a suicide bomber blew himself up during document check.
A 22-year-old local resident approached a police vehicle parked near a concert hall in downtown Grozny, where pro-Moscow President Kadyrov was present for the performance and investigators do not rule out an assassination attempt.
"It is unclear what he wanted, but the policemen showed their worth and he blew himself up," Kadyrov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.
He said the blast was minor, adding that not one window in nearby buildings was shattered and people inside the theatre did not hear the explosion.
The police cordon around the site of the blast has been lifted and traffic on Putin Avenue and nearby streets resumed. Kadyrov is a former separatist who switched sides to support Russia.
Chechen rebels had claimed responsibility for the March suicide bombings in Moscow Metro that killed 40 people.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, July 01, 2010, 10:34