A blast killed 11 people, including nine army men, at village Nain Batapora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Saturday night.

The army men, led by a major, were patrolling the area in a Tata Sumo when the blast took place, sources in Srinagar told rediff.com

A police officer said militants had planted a massive RDX charge in an underground water pipe and triggered it the moment the vehicle passed over it.

Those killed were eight jawans, a major, a special police officer and the driver, Mehraj-ud-Din, a civilian.

The blast rattled the entire village and its adjoining areas.

Early on Sunday contingents of army, paramilitary and local police surrounded the entire area and started searching for those responsible for the blast.

After returning from the site, a police officer said it was the "worst landmine explosion I have ever seen in the last 15 years".

"The vehicle was blown to pieces and the bodies of the victims were badly damaged," he said.

He identified the army officer who died as Major Lalit of Rashtriya Rifles.

The Hizbul Mujahideen admitted responsibility for the blast.

The explosion occurred on a day when security forces in north Kashmir's Sopore town were mopping up a 24-hour long gun battle that left five paramilitary troopers and two militants dead.

The militants had barged into a heavily guarded special operations group camp in Sopore.