Thirteen police personnel were killed and three others injured on Saturday in a powerful landmine blast that ripped their truck near Maoist-infested Kanchkir in Bokaro district.

An assistant sub-inspector, two havildars and ten jawans of the Special Task Force were killed in the blast, suspected to be the job of the CPI (Maoist), Deputy Inspector General of Police Anil Palta said.

According to sources in the DGP's control room, two vehicles carrying security men were returning from patrolling around 3 pm.

While the first one managed to cross the fateful spot, the second vehicle carrying at least 16 personnel drove over the landmine.

The condition of two of the three injured was serious and they were being treated at a local hospital in Bokaro, the sources said.

Helped by the CRPF jawans, the Jharkhand police last week had destroyed three bunkers of the Maoists situated in the Jhumra hill in the same district.

Once a Naxal den, the police have managed to drive out the Naxalites from the Jhumra hill with a round-the-clock vigil atop the hills.