Bomb blast at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium

Blast outside Chinnaswamy stadium just before IPL match.

Two bombs went off at the gates of Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium this afternoon, ahead of the Royal Challengers-Mumbai Indians IPL match that was scheduled at the venue today.

Accordiing to television reports, eight people, including three policemen were injured when the bombs, which were hidden in a plastic bag and placed adjacent to a wall, went off. There are conflicting reports about the exact timing of the blasts.

At the time of filing this report, no deaths were reported.

The injured were immediately rushed to hospital, fire brigade officials said, adding the cause of the blast was being ascertained.

The explosion triggered panic as it came just before the start of the IPL match between Royal Challengers, Bangalore and Mumbai Indians.

Ballistic experts are investigating the site. Sniffer dogs have also been brought in.

City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari, who is supervising the investigation into the explosion, told reporters that it was a minor blast that occurred near the wall adjacent to the gate at 3.15 pm.

"It seems the explosive material was hidden in a plastic bag and placed near the wall," he said.

Bidari said the explosives were not powerful and forensic experts have been summoned for its examination. A conclusion can be arrived at only after receiving the report, he said.

"There is no cause for panic and the match will go on," the Commissioner said.