Raipur, Jun 10 (Agencies): Ten security personnel were killed in a powerful landmine blast triggered by Maoists around midnight on Thursday in Katikalyan area of Dantewada district.

Seven Special Police Officers (SPO) and three police jawans were killed on the spot when their anti-land mine vehicle was tossed in the air by a powerful blast near Gatan village of the district, police said.

The blast took place in a forested area near Katekalyan in Dantewada district, over 400 km south of Raipur.

As the vehicle reached a bridge near the village, Naxals triggered the blast and opened indiscriminate fire on them, they said.

Three injured have been rushed to a hospital in Bastar district headquarter, police said.

"It was a massive blast, Maoists mainly the women insurgents blew up an anti-landmine vehicle around midnight when policemen were moving in two vehicles on a search operation based on specific intelligence input," Ram Niwas, additional director general of Police (Maoist operation), said.

He said that the anti-landmine vehicle was tossed up in the air by the blast before it landed in pieces.

It was the second deadly attack in the state by Maoists Thursday after they gunned down five state policemen in Narayanpur district's Bastar region.