The car bomb that went off near a police station in Russia's volatile North Caucasus republic of Dagestan had a force equivalent to 100 kg of TNT, a police source said on Friday.
Three people, including two police officers, were killed when a Lada Priora car exploded near the police station in the Lenin-Aul village late on Thursday afternoon. The explosives were detonated when police stopped the car to inspect driver's documents.
Six police officers and 11 civilians, including a 5-year-old child, were injured in the explosion, which damaged 11 cars.
The police source said a criminal case had been opened into the illegal production of arms and the murder of a police officer.
Earlier, police said the explosion formed a crater 1 meter (3.3 feet) deep and more than 2 meters (7 feet) in diameter.
Russia has been fighting militants in the North Caucasus for almost two decades, including two brutal wars against separatists in Chechnya.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev created the North Caucasus Federal District in January as part of efforts to improve the regional economy and remove incentives for locals to join militant groups.
MOSCOW, April 30(RIA Novosti)
