MOSCOW, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) - Four police officers were killed and at least ten others injured in an explosion in southern Russia's Ingushetia Republic on Friday, it was reported here.

    The explosion occurred at a one-story apartment building in a town named Troitskaya at 10:30 a.m. Moscow time (0730 GMT), the Interfax news agency cited a source from the Emergency Situations Ministry's southern regional center as reporting.

    Preliminary information indicated that all of the victims are members of a special police unit sent by the Interior Ministry to the building for security check.

    The Itar-Tass news agency said the dead victims include Magomed Marazanov, Chief of Ingushetia commandos, sapper engineer Akhmed Archakov and policeman Yusup Geroyev. Five of the ten wounded were in serious conditions.

    It was reported that a land mine had been planted at the building before the policemen started their searching mission. The building was almost completely destroyed by the powerful blast.

    Sappers and an investigation team are currently working at the scene. Some experts suspected that the explosive device was home-made.

    Security measures were reinforced in the area, Isa Merzhoyev, press secretary for the Ingush president, told reporters. Enditem