A police officer injured in a highway shootout in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan died in a hospital on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday a police detail manning a checkpoint in Dagestan's capital Makhachkala pulled over a taxi for a check. As the driver got out he threw a hand grenade, severely injuring at least three officers.

The attacker was shot dead in a subsequent shootout.

Russia's North Caucasus republics, in particular Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have seen frequent attacks on police and government officials this year despite the formal end of a decade-long emergency regime for counterterrorism operations in Chechnya a few months ago.

MAKHACHKALA, December 1 (RIA Novosti)