Two on-duty forest officials were allegedly killed by unknown assailants near here this on Sunday, police said.

The deceased were identified as Dadli Lazar (45), a Forest Range Officer, and Sheik Baji Sahid (40), a forest guard. The incident took place in the Nallamala forest area under Bollapalli Mandal, said Bollepalli sub-inspector Pattabhiramayya.

Lazar got information this morning that some suspected smugglers were cutting trees near Nehrunagar Thanda area. He rushed to the spot along with Sahid, Pattabhiramayya said.

Lazar spotted a vehicle and a group of six persons who were loading wood. He found the situation "critical" and immediately contacted the local forest range office.

When other Forest Department officials reached the spot, they found that Lazar has been brutally murdered, while Sahid was critically wounded.

A police team led by Pattabhiramayya swiftly moved to shift Sahid to a local hospital but he died on the way.

Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Prathipati Pulla Rao said the culprits will soon be arrested and the government will take care of the families of the deceased.