Two paramilitary troopers were injured when a bomb planted by Maoists exploded in Odisha's Malkangiri district Friday, police said.
The improvised explosive device went off when the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were conducting a search after removing Maoist posters in a forested area, Superintendent of Police Akhileswar Singh told IANS.
The two troopers suffered minor injuries in their legs, he said. The BSF fired back after coming under fire from the nearby hill, triggering a brief gun battle.
Maoists are active in more than half of the state. Malkangiri district, over 600 km from here, is considered a rebel stronghold.