One person was killed and 15 were injured in an IED blast near the district court complex in Jammu region's Udhampur town on Wednesday, officials said.

The blast took place around 1 pm in Slathia Chowk where fruit and vegetable vendors put up their carts, they said.

Additional Director General of Police (Jammu) Mukesh Singh told reporters that initial investigation points towards the use of an improvised explosive device (IED).

Eyewitnesses said the blast was so powerful that some iron grills nearby were damaged in its impact. It triggered panic in the area.

Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur Indu Kanwal Chib said one person was killed and 15 others were injured in the blast. The injured were moved to a hospital and were stable, she said.

"It is a blast. As of now, it seems not connected with terror. Investigation is on," she said. The injured included a woman, an eight-month-old infant, and a Rajasthan resident. Top police officials, including ADGP Mukesh Singh, were at the spot to investigate the matter. The investigators are looking into if any chemical explosive was used in the blast near the district court complex.

He said the nature of the explosive and further details would be known following investigation by experts.

A team of the State Investigation Agency (SIA), led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Satesh Bhardwaj, reached the blast site and was analysing details, a senior official said. Security has been beefed up in and around the town and searches are being conducted in some places, officials said.

In a tweet, Union minister Jitendra Singh said one person was killed and 13 were injured in the blast. The injured were being moved to a hospital. "I am in touch with DC Indu Chib on minute to minute basis. Exact cause and origin of the blast being worked out...too early to draw any definite conclusion," the minister tweeted.