Patna, June 19: A CRPF jawan was killed and two others were seriously injured in a landmine blast triggered by suspected Maoists in Aurangabad district, around 100km southwest of Patna, around 12.30pm on Sunday.

Apurva Teka from Assam died when the landmine exploded as the security personnel were returning to their camp on motorbikes after conducting a search operation in the Ganjoi forests under the jurisdiction of Dev police station in the district.

The injured jawans, identified as Uttar Pradesh resident Ajit Kumar Yadav and Assam resident Kankan Kakoti, were first admitted to Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital in Gaya and later airlifted to Patna.

"They have been admitted to a private hospital in the city," Aurangabad superintendent of police Baburam said. He added that combing operations have been launched in the area.

The blast occurred near Bandu Bigha village on Dev-Kanchanpur road, around 22km south of Aurangabad town. It was so powerful that it created a 5ft crater on the road.

Baburam said the security forces were involved in a gun battle with the rebels before the landmine blast. A team, comprising commandos of the CRPF's elite 205th CoBRA battalion, special task force and the district armed police, had gone to the Ganjoi forests following a tip-off that the Maoists had gathered there to plan an operation in the area.

The guerrillas had to retreat after the exchange of fire. "As the forces were returning, they were ambushed in the landmine explosion," a senior CRPF official said, adding that Teka died on the spot.

An alert had been sounded across the district in wake of chief minister Nitish Kumar's visit to Nabinagar in the district. Nitish reached the district three hours after the explosion.

Baburam added that two base camps of the security forces would be set up at Sahiyari under Madan police station and Ketaki under Dev police station to curb Maoist activities.