An armed gang opened fire inside an Indian courtroom Wednesday, killing a policeman and sending the judge scurrying for cover, as a suspect was being brought up from the cells.

Three other people were wounded in the shooting at New Delhi's sprawling Karkardooma court complex, which is meant to be a high security zone.

"There were four men who started shooting randomly inside court room number 73," a senior police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"A head constable has died and three others are wounded. It appears to be a case of rivalry between two local gangs."

Six to seven rounds were fired when the accused, who has been charged with around 100 offences, was being produced before a metropolitan magistrate.

The gunmen were taken into custody after they were apprehended by lawyers and police who were on duty at the premises, the source said.

Last year, another accused was shot dead inside a district court in the Delhi suburb of Noida.
Source: AFP