News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

This is the first picture of a man wanted in connection with the devastating bomb blast on the St Petersburg metro today - AFTER he walked into a police station tonight and insisted: 'I'm innocent!'.

According to local Russian media outlets earlier, the bearded man was captured on CCTV footage after reports he'd allegedly left a briefcase filled with explosives on a metro train.

The blast - which happened between the stations of the Institute of Technology and Sennaya Ploshchad - left at least 11 people dead and around 50 people injured.

Horrific images from the scene show bloodied commuters lay on a platform - and within hours Russian media was circulating photos and CCTV images of a man wanted in connection with the blast.

However at around 8.30pm tonight a man fitting the same description walked into a police station in St Petersburg - who insists he had nothing to do with the blast and was 'targeted for looking Muslim'.

Local media reported tonight: "The first suspect himself came to the police and said that he was innocent.

"Apparently, surveillance cameras found the 'perfect Muslim' and tossed it into the media."

The police are yet to formally comment on the man's identity and involvement - if any.

(Image: Twitter)

Eyewitnesses say an explosion suddenly took place leaving commuters covered in blood.

It is thought the explosion was caused by a bomb filled with shrapnel - possibly "ball bearings" said to have been found in a second device.

(Image: Twitter)

(Image: @ NovostiSPb/Twitter)

Russian President Vladimir Putin was in the city holding a meeting with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko - and tonight laid flowers in memory of the dead at an impromptu memorial where candles are being lit by locals.

He has said Russian officials are investigating whether terrorists are behind the explosion.

(Image: Twitter)

(Image: REUTERS)

(Image: Twitter)

(Image: @ASLuhn/Twitter) (Image: Twitter)

The blast happened at 2.30pm local time on the blue line of the underground system.

Speaking to Russian news site Paper, one eyewitness called Pauline said: "The explosion occurred between the stations Sennaya and Institute of Technology.

"There was a deafening bang, then the sharp smell of smoke. We immediately went to the end of the car, formed a crush."

(Image: TASS) (Image: PITER.TV) (Image: REUTERS)

Speaking to Life News, one witness said: "People were bleeding, their hair burned.

"We were told to move to the exit. People just fled.

"My girlfriend was in the next car that exploded. When she came out, she saw that people were mutilated."

"One eyewitness wrote on Twitter: "I was riding down the escalator and suddenly an explosive wave from below, echoing from the tunnel. The station is evacuated. "

(Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter)

Putin said the government was considering all possible causes for the blast.

"I have already spoken to the head of our special services, they are working to ascertain the cause (of the blasts)," Putin said.

"The causes are not clear, it's too early. We will look at all possible causes, terrorism as well as common crime," he added.

Maxim Liksutov, Moscow's deputy mayor, told Interfax that authorities were tightening security on the subway in the Russian capital.

The agency that runs the subway said several stations in the northern Russian city were closed and that an evacuation was under way.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: Twitter)

Social media users posted photographs and video from a subway station in the city centre, showing people lying on the floor outside a train with a mangled door.

Frantic commuters reached into doors and windows, trying to see if anyone was there and shouting: "Call an ambulance!"