A top member of the outlawed People's War Group of naxalites was killed in an encounter with the police in Karimnagar district in Andhra Pradesh late on Friday night.

Confirming the incident, a state police spokesman told rediff.com on Saturday that the slain naxalite leader has been identified as Anupuram Komaraiah (45), member of the North Telangana Special Zonal Committee. He carried a reward of Rs one million on his head.

A special police party on combing operations spotted a group of naxalites in the forest area of Khansaipet near Manthani town. The police asked the naxalites to surrender.

The naxalites, however, opened fire on the police party, forcing the latter to retaliate. After the exchange ended, the police found the body of a slain naxalite, while other extremists fled under the cover of darkness. The police party have launched a manhunt to track down remaining naxalites.

Anupuram Komaraiah alias Sudhakar alias AK was earlier district committee secretary of Dandakaranya region. He was on the wanted list of the police for a spate of offences, including murders, landmine blasts and other crimes, committed by the People's War.

Komaraiah is the third top leader of the outfit to be killed in the last six days. Earlier, on April 20, two PWG leaders -- Nomula Ramana Reddy (30), district committee member of the PWG for the twin cities of Hyderabad-Secunderabad and Vinobha, Nalgonda district committee member, were killed in an encounter with the Nalgonda police on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Ramana Reddy also carried a reward of Rs one million on his head while Vinobha (35) had a reward of Rs 300,000. Both were important members of the outfit operating from the twin cities.