Nine personnel of the Orissa Special Strike Force were killed when their jeep was blown up by a landmine detonated by remote control at Jogi Pallur in Koraput, about 530 km from Bhubaneswar, the police said.
The landmine blast occurred as the personnel on their way from Maoist-hit Narayanpatna to Laxmipur found the road blocked by Maoists, Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj said.
Central Reserve Police Force personnel, who rushed to the spot after the ambush, also came under fire from the Maoists at Laxmipur, the police said.
