M Venkat Raju, husband of Andhra Pradesh Minister for Tribal Welfare M Manikumari, was gunned down by Naxalites of the banned People's War group in Visakhapatam district on Thursday morning. He died on the spot, police said in Hyderabad.

Two men accosted Matyarasa Venkata Raju, the praja parishad (civic body) president of G Madugula mandal, when he was going from his house to the Telugu Desam Party office around 8.30am and opened fire from close range, killing him on the spot.  

The minister was in Hyderabad when the attack took place. She rushed to Visakhapatnam, located 650km north east of Hyderabad, by a special helicopter on hearing about the incident.

Police said that the couple, who have two daughters, was on the hit-list of the Naxalites and had received threats in the recent past.

A pall of gloom descended on G Madugu mandal, forming part of Paderu (Scheduled Tribe-reserved) constituency, which Mani Kumari represented in the dissolved assembly.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has condemned the killing.