NEW DELHI: Eleven people were killed and at least 62 others injured in a powerful blast outside Delhi high court gate number 5 on Wednesday morning.The blast took place at around 10.15 am. Home secretary RK Singh told reporters the explosives were placed in a briefcase at the high court reception where hundreds of people come through every day to attend court cases.The government is investigating an email allegedly sent by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami claiming responsibility for the blast at the court.Television images showed scores of lawyers in black coats running from one of the main gates of the building."This appears to be a bomb explosion and it is at least a medium-intensity bomb... The site has been fully secured and Delhi has been put on high alert. Whatever precautions need to be taken are being taken," said home ministry official UK Bansal.The injured have been taken to AIIMS, RML and Safdarjung hospitals. The Delhi Police have cordoned off the area, not far from Parliament and the Prime Minister's Office. Fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.Top officials of Delhi Police including Special Commissioner (law and order) Dharmendra Kumar and Joint Commissioner of Special Cell RS Krishnaiah have rushed to the spot.Jt Commissioner (Crime) Sandip Goyal and Special Commissioner PN Aggarwal also joined them. Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2pm to allow government collect information and make its statement on bomb blast outside Delhi High Court.The blast was the second explosion at the high court this year. On May 25, a small explosion that appeared to be a failed car bomb hit the court parking lot.A high alert in the capital has been sounded and security tighten at public places.
'''A scene from the blast site after this incident'''It is in the second time in four months that a blast occurred outside the Delhi High Court complex. An explosion on May 25 triggered panic prompting the authorities to sound a high alert in the capital and tighten security at public places, however no one was injured in that blast.
Twelve people were reported killed and 62 people injured in a terrorist attack outside gate number 5 of , in India's capital New Delhi at around 10:15am (4:45 am GMT) on Wednesday.

According to home secretary RK Singh, the explosives were hidden in a briefcase placed in the reception of the high court. At that moment hundreds of people were present on the site to get passes to attend court cases. Islamic fundamentalist organization  claimed the responsibility for these blasts. In an email sent to the media, the group demanded immediate repeal of the the death penalty given to , a terrorist involved in the attack on the . They also warned that they could target other high courts and the .

Victims injured in the attack have been taken to , , and . As the accident site is not far from the  and the Prime Minister's Office, the  have cordoned off the area.

Politicians including the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, senior  leader , former  ,  leader , and BJP president  have condemned the attacks, as have numerous celebrities on Twitter.

"My heart goes out to the bereaved families and to those who are injured I convey my best wishes," Manmohan Singh said in a statement to the Indian journalists accompanying him on his two-day Bangladesh visit.