Top Maoist leader killed in police encounter

Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, Apr 2 (UNI) CPI (Maoist) Central Military Committee member and his wife were killed in a police encounter in the forests between Kantanapalli-Rampuram villages of Eturu Nagaram mandal in this district today.

Police said Maoist leader G Saraiah alias Azad and his wife Padma, Dalam member, opened fire on the Greyhound forces, who were combing the forests. The police returned the fire, killing the couple on the spot.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened on the Andhra-Orissa and Andhra-Chhattisgarh borders to prevent Naxals from resorting to violence in protest against the encounter.

Combing operations were intensified in all the Naxal-infested districts of the state, the police said.

UNI AP ROY HS SSC1229