Eight persons, including six Bihar policemen, were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Gaya district of south-central Bihar, early Friday afternoon. The incident took place between Uchla and Dhamania villages under Roshanganj police station in Banke Bazaar block in Shergahati sub-division of Gaya, around 12.30 pm. Gaya city SP Akhtar Hussain confirmed it.

The blast occurred when a vehicle carrying the policemen and two villagers was returning from Balasot village in Banke Bazaar block to the Roshanganj police station.

The police party had gone to Balasot on the request of the local CDPO (child development project officer) to provide security cover to a function organized there for recruitment of Anganbari workers.

"The blast occurred on a six-feet wide earthen road which the police party had taken to return to the Roshanganj police station. The explosives had been laid under a hume pipe laid across the road", said a Barasot local.

The vehicle was blown to pieces and all eight on board - six policemen and two villagers, died on the spot, residents of the naxal hit area told HT on Friday afternoon.

The two villagers who died in the incident were identified as Pawan Kumar of Sirsa village, located close to Balasot, and Ramesh Mistri, a resident of Balasot.

More details were awaited as senior police officers of the district and Magadh range, under which Gaya falls, had rushed to the spot and were not responding to calls.

Earlier, six CRPF men were killed and eight personnel, including a deputy commandant, were injured in landmine blasts and a pursuant gun battle between the cops and the Maoists, near Barha village under Dumaria police station of Gaya district on October 18, 2012.