Vladimir Markin of the Russian Prosecutor's Office said two police officers and a civilian died in the attack. Six other officers and 11 civilians were wounded, he said.

However, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov later said that only two people remained in the hospital. The others had "sought medical assistance due to minor scratches caused by broken glass, or stress disorders," he said.

A few hours after the attack was reported, the Prosecutor's Office said police had the situation under control.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who was on a visit to France, was informed about the incident, the Kremlin reported on its website.

Local Russian news agencies reported from the Chechen capital, Grozny, that the parliament resumed its work hours after the incident and held a planned session to discuss the republic's budget. Kadyrov was there, as was Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev, who has been in Chechnya on an inspection visit.