At least two people were killed and four others injured in a blast in India's northern state of Punjab on Thursday, according to a state government official.

The blast took place inside a court complex in the state's Ludhiana district.

Explosive material had reportedly been stored inside a bathroom. Following the blast, walls of the bathroom were damaged and window panes shattered.

According to media reports, a lawyers' strike at the court meant that only a few people were at the premises when the blast took place.