At least nine security forces personnel were killed in a landmine blast triggered by left-wing Naxalite rebels in the eastern Indian state of Bihar Tuesday, a police official said.

"The security forces personnel were patrolling in a remote area in the state's Aurangabad district on a jeep which was hit by the blast. While eight security personnel died on the spot, one succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital," he said on condition of anonymity.

A massive manhunt has been launched to track down the Naxalites, the official added.

This attack came barely three days after Naxalites had attacked an express train in the state, killing three government railway policemen and injuring three others seriously, including a woman.