Visakhapatnam: In a huge blow to the Maoist movement in the country, top commander Madvi Hidma was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharamaraju district in the Andhra-Odisha border area on Tuesday.
Hidma’s wife, Raje and four other Maoists, who were his gunmen, were also killed in the encounter that took place in the Maredumilli forest area.
Andhra Pradesh’s Additional Director General (Intelligence) Mahesh Chandra Laddha told media persons that the exchange of fire took place between the security forces and the Maoists between 6.30-7.00 a.m.
“Bodies of six Maoists were recovered. They were identified as Madvi Hidma, who is a Central Committee member and first battalion commandant and one of the most wanted and dreaded Maoists, his wife Raje and four of his gunmen,” he said.
The intelligence chief said the police were keeping a continuous watch following information that Maoists, particularly from battalions including leaders, were planning to shift to Andhra Pradesh due to continuous pressure in Chhattisgarh.
“In the last one or two days, we had a very specific intelligence that a few of the top Maoist leaders are entering Andhra Pradesh, and they are planning to revive the movement. In that continuation today morning, one exchange of fire took place between Maoists and security forces,” he said.
The state intelligence chief said some Maoists ran away from the scene of the encounter. “The combing operation is still going on. Hopefully, we should be able to arrest them shortly,” Laddha said.
The police official said bodies were being shifted and a post-mortem will be done as per due process, and necessary action will be taken.
The security forces recovered two AK-47s, one pistol, one revolver, one single-bore weapon and other material, including kitbags.
Hidma alias Santosh was considered the most wanted Maoist commander in India. Believed to be aged around 51, he was the chief of battalion number one of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion, which is said to be the most lethal Maoist strike unit.
Born in Purvati village in Sukma district, worked as a member of Bastar Dalam and Dandakarnya Special Zonal Committee member and rose to become the mastermind behind major attacks on security during the last two decades. He personally led over 30 attacks in Dantewada and Sukma
Various states had announced a reward of Rs 6 crore for Hidma, who was considered an expert in guerrilla attacks
Hidma, who had gone into hiding 25 years ago, became a Central Committee member at a young age
He was the only tribal from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh in the CPI(Maoist) Central Committee.
Hidma was said to be the mastermind behind the massacre of 76 members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Dantewada in 2010. This was the deadliest attack by Maoists on security forces in India.
He was also suspected of being involved in the killings of 27 people, including top Congress leaders at Jhiram Ghati in Chhattisgarh in 2013.
Hidma is also considered the mastermind behind the killing of 22 personnel of the central paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma in 2021.
The top Maoist commander’s killing comes close on the heels of a series of successes by the security forces in Chhattisgarh.
Tuesday’s encounter also came as a major blow to the banned CPI(Maoist) planning regroup in the Andhra-Odisha border area, which was once considered a hotbed of Maoist activities.
IANS
