Koraput: Nine persons, including an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) probationer, were injured today (Feb 13, 2004) when a landmine, believed to have been left behind by naxalites, exploded as it was being defused near Narayanpatna in Koraput, the district headquarters of which Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is to visit later in the day.

Patnaik, who had gone to adjoining Kandhamal district, was to fly to Koraput town during the day to hold a review meeting on earlier naxalite attacks, official sources said.

Superintendent of Police Arun Bothra, speaking on today's incident, said a bomb disposal squad of the police, which had gone to the spot near Khatraguda village, about nine km from Naryanpatna, defused one landmine and was working on the other when it exploded.

The injured were mostly Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and police constables besides the IAS probationer S N Girish.

They were shifted to the district headquarter hospital for treatment.

Bothra said the condition of a CRPF jawan and a police constable was stated to be serious.

The landmines were found on the side of the Narayanpatna-Bandhugaon road, about 90 km from here, after the naxalite strikes on Feb 6 following which traffic on the road had been stopped.

The armed ultras had stormed Koraput town and its neighbouring places killing three securitymen and injuring four others. They also escaped with a large cache of arms and ammunition.