Four officers of the Border Security Force, including a Commanding Officer, were on Friday killed in an IED blast by suspected Maoists in Malkangiri district of Odisha.

The BSF squad was targeted at around 1 pm in the Janbai area of the district, under Chitragonda police station area, 465 kms from Bhubaneswar.

Odisha's jungles are a hotbed for Naxal activities as it touches the borders of two other states -- Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh -- making it a corridor for Maoists.

According to initial reports, the officers were returning in their vehicle after attending a meeting with the district administration.

The victims have been identified as Commandant (107 battalion) G R Khaswan, his Second-in-Command Rajesh Sharan, Inspector Ashok and Assistant Sub-Inspector and radio operator of the squad Jitendra.

A Border Security Force company is located in the area where the blast occurred.

The area witnesses a huge inter-state movement of armed Maoist cadres, a senior official said.