A bomb has gone off at the Supreme Court in the capital of the Russian Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, Nazran.

The blast shook the building at 1200 local time (0900 GMT) on Tuesday as the trial of a Chechen murder suspect was due to begin, according to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.

Police had earlier received a tip-off and were already at the scene searching for the device with sniffer dogs when it went off.

Tass said residents of nearby houses had been evacuated and no one was hurt.

Police said the time bomb had been placed in a rubbish bin in part of the building undergoing repairs and which had earlier been used by Ingush television.

Tass said Ingush law enforcement bodies believed the blast might have been intended to exert pressure on judges in connection with the trial of a Chechen resident.

The suspect is charged with killing an Ingush citizen and attempting to kill another. The hearing has been postponed.