A Special Task Force (STF) jawan was killed and another injured in an IED blast carried out by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on Saturday morning, according to reports.

The STF squad was out for an operational task on NH30 in Darba area of Bastar, infested by Naxals.

Assistant platoon commandant Krishna Pal Singh was killed, while constable Santosh Yadav sustained minor injuries in the incident, PTI quoted Inspector General of Police Deepanshu Kabra as saying.

Yadav was rushed to a hospital in Jagdalpur.

The STF contingent was dispatched to NH30 after a tip-off that the Maoists have blocked the road. When they reached near the spot, armed insurgents opened firing at them, following which the security personnel launched retaliatory attack, Kabra told PTI.

A reinforcement team has launched a massive search operation to arrest the insurgents, who fled to the adjoining jungles.