In a major offensive against insurgency in the state, the Andhra Pradesh police killed 10 Maoists in Nizamabad district on Monday morning.

The police termed the incident as the 'first major success' against Maoists in the north Telangana area since the Congress government came to power in the state in May last year.

"This is a very, very successful operation in which the entire top leadership of Maoists in Nizamabad district has been killed," a state police official said.

The incident occurred between 0730 and 0745 IST in Manala forest area in Kammarpally mandal on the border of Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts. The Greyhounds (elite anti-Naxalite commandos) came face to face with the Maoists camping in deep forests while conducting combing operations.

In the exchange of fire that ensued, 10 Maoists, including Nizamabad district committee secretary Ramesh and district committee member Babanna and three women cadres, were killed. The police recovered one AK-47 rifle, two self-loading rifles, three 303 rifles and two SBBL guns from the encounter site.

The police said the Maoists had bifurcated the Nizamabad-Karimnagar district committee a month ago to form a separate committee for Nizamabad. Ramesh was made in charge of it. He was involved in several major crimes and carried a huge reward on his head, the police added.