Eight persons, including six polling officials and two policemen, were killed on Thursday and seven others injured when suspected left-wing rebels blew up their vehicle in the district of Dumka of the central Indian state of Jharkhand, said local media.

The Press Trust of India quoted Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar as saying that a landmine was triggered when they were returning from poll duty, where the election for a local lawmaker was held Thursday in the sixth phase of the marathon general election.

The attack came two weeks after 13 people were killed in a left- wing Naxalite rebel attack in the eastern-central state of Bihar neighboring Jharkhand.

Both Bihar and Jharkhand are among India's poorest states where Naxalite rebels are active.

India is holding its general election to produce a new parliament and a new government.