Story highlights

The attack happened the Dumka district of Jharkhand state

That region went to polls Thursday in India's general elections

Insurgents had planted a landmine on a route used by a security and election team

Five other people, one of them a policeman, were injured, police said

New Delhi CNN  — 

A landmine explosion triggered by Maoist rebels killed five police officers in eastern India on Thursday, authorities said.

The assault was reported from the Dumka district of the mineral-rich Jharkhand state.

That eastern region went to polls Thursday as part of India’s multi-phased general elections.

Insurgents had planted a landmine on the route that one of the security and election teams was to use to return to base after the voting closed, Jharkhand police spokesman Anurag Gupta told CNN.

“Five police personnel lost their lives in that attack,” he said.

Five other people, one of them a policeman, were injured, Gupta said.