Policeman, two others die in shooting in Russia's Ingushetia region

Gunmen opened fire on a car carrying a local security official in Russia's Ingushetia region in the North Caucasus, killing three people, including a police officer, TASS news agency reported early on Saturday, quoting investigators.

TASS quoted a local branch of Russia's Investigative Committee as saying a car assigned to the deputy head of Ingushetia's Centre for Countering Extremism had come under fire on Friday evening.

The local branch said a criminal investigation had been opened into the incident and those behind the attack were being sought.

The TASS report said the gunmen had fled the scene and headed off towards the neighbouring region of North Ossetia.

Ingushetia is adjacent to Chechnya in the heart of the often volatile North Caucasus region.