Raipur, Nov. 29: Twelve people, including 10 jawans of the Mizoram Armed Police, were killed when Maoists blew up a jeep in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district this afternoon.

Inspector-general of police R.K. Vij told The Telegraph the jawans were returning to their camp at Banda from the nearby Konta market and had boarded a private jeep to avoid being targeted.

The jawans, who had been warned not to use vehicles in the mine-riddled terrain, apparently “forced” the jeep to stop.

As the vehicle reached Murliguda, 6km from Konta and 550km south of Raipur, the rebels detonated the landmine. Sources said the vehicle, tossed several feet in the air, was blown to pieces.

All the 12 victims died on the spot. The two civilians killed were believed to be the jeep’s driver and a helper or a passenger.

This was the second major rebel offensive in a month. On November 2, during the five-day bash to mark the state’s foundation day, they struck near Pammed in Bijapur district, killing 11 policemen. Today’s incident, however, was their first big attack against jawans from Mizoram.