Police in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor District have confirmed the encounter killing of at least 20 persons reportedly involved in the smuggling of Red Sanders trees.
They said that the encounter had taken place near Tirupati this morning.
State Deputy Chief Minister China Rajappa was quoted by media, as saying that a task force of the Andhra Pradesh Special Police carried out the operation on receiving information about the smuggling activity.
He said the smugglers hailed from Tamil Nadu.
He said, about 100 smugglers indulged in illegal cutting of red sanders trees this morning at two places near Tirupati.
The task force personnel opened fire when the smugglers attacked them.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Tirupati Range, Kanta Rao, said some police personnel had been injured in the encounter.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu has been reviewing the situation with the Director General of Police in Hyderabad.