Kolkata, Nov 2: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan had a narrow escape on Sunday when suspected Maoists triggered a blast below a bridge when their convoys were passing.

The incident occurred on National Highway 60 at Kalaichandi Khal under Salboni police station, eight kilometers from Midnapur in West Bengal.

Five policemen, including the driver, of the last car of Paswan''s convoy were seriously injured, according to reports.

The injured have been rushed to the Midnapur Medical College and Hospital.

Bhattacharjee and Paswan had come to Salboni, to inaugurate the country''s largest steel project of Jindal Steel Works (JSW), Bengal Steel.

The incident took place when a ''directional landmine'' blast took place at Baroa, 17 km from Salboni, from where Bhattacharjee, Paswan, West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen and industrialist Sajjan Jindal were returning after laying the foundation stone of Jindal Steel Works plant, police said. (ANI)