A land mine exploded beneath a police vehicle in eastern India on Saturday, killing at least 15 officers, police said. Maoist rebels were suspected to have planted the mine on a road leading to Baniadih, a village in remote Jharkhand state, police superintendent Sudarshan Mandal said. He said the policemen were about to raid a village where rebels were believed to be hiding when the explosion happened. There were no immediate claims of responsibility.Earlier in the week, police and paramilitary soldiers launched an operation against rebels operating in the state, Mandal said. The rebels, who claim to be inspired by Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong, have been fighting for land and jobs for agricultural workers and the poor. They are active in five southern and eastern Indian states and often target police, accusing them of colluding with rich landlords.