A top Maoist leader and his wife were killed in an encounter with the police in the deep forests in Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

According to the police, Communist Party of India-Maoist central committee member G Saraiah alias Azad and his wife and 'dalam' (armed squad member) Padma were shot dead in an exchange of fire with Greyhound commandos in the forests between Kantanapalli-Rampuram villages in Eturunagaram mandal.

The Maoist couple opened fire on Greyhound commandos who were combing the forests. The Greyhounds retaliated, killing them on the spot.

Azad, who hailed from Warangal district, served in the Maoist movement for 25 years and held important positions in the banned outfit. He was suspected of organising the killing of 16 tribals in Nizamabad district in 2002, on the suspicion that they were working as informers for the police. Azad was the brother of CPI-Maoist North Telangana Special Zonal Committee secretary Ganesh.

Revolutionary writer and former Maoist emissary Varavara Rao, however, alleged that Azad and his wife were killed in a 'fake encounter' stage-managed by the police. Claiming that there was no possibility of Azad visiting Warangal, he alleged that the Maoist couple were arrested by the police at a different place and later killed in cold-blood in Warangal district.