Raipur: Nine personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed when suspected Maoists blew up their mine-protected vehicle (MPV) in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today, an official said.
Some jawans were also reported to be injured in the explosion, but there was no official confirmation yet, he said.
The blast occurred when a team of CRPF's 212th battalion was patrolling in a forest in Kistaram area of Sukma, located around 500 kms from here, a paramilitary official told PTI.
"Nine paramilitary personnel, belonging to the 212th battalion, were killed in the blast," he said.
The security men were conducting an area-domination operation in the forest of Kistaram when the Maoists blew up the CRPF's mine-protected vehicle, he said.
The rebels used a lot of explosives to blow up the vehicle, the official said.
Soon after the incident, reinforcement was rushed to the spot, he said, adding that further details were awaited.