Visakhapatnam, Nov 18:
In one of the biggest setbacks to the Maoist movement in recent years, *Madvi Hidma, one of India’s most wanted Maoist commanders, was killed in an encounter with security forces in the *Maredumilli forest area of Alluri Sitharamaraju district along the Andhra–Odisha border on Tuesday morning.
Hidma’s wife Raje and four Maoists who served as his gunmen also died in the exchange of fire, which occurred between 6.30 a.m. and 7.00 a.m.
Addressing the media, Andhra Pradesh Additional Director General (Intelligence) Mahesh Chandra Laddha confirmed that the bodies of all six Maoists were recovered. “Madvi Hidma, a Central Committee member and first battalion commandant of the CPI (Maoist), was among those killed. He was one of the most wanted and dreaded Maoist leaders in the country,” he said.
Specific Intelligence Led to Operation
Laddha revealed that police units had been on heightened alert after receiving credible intelligence that Maoist leaders—facing sustained pressure in Chhattisgarh—were attempting to shift into Andhra Pradesh to revive their operations.
“In the last one or two days, we had very specific intelligence inputs that top Maoist leaders were entering Andhra Pradesh. In continuation of this information, today’s exchange of fire took place,” he noted.
Some Maoists managed to escape during the encounter. Combing operations are continuing, and officials expect more arrests soon.
Security personnel recovered two AK-47 rifles, a pistol, a revolver, a single-bore weapon, and several kitbags from the site. The bodies are being shifted for post-mortem examinations as per procedure.
Who Was Madvi Hidma?
Hidma, also known as *Santosh, was among the most feared Maoist commanders in India and carried a *combined reward of ₹6 crore from various states. Aged around 51, he hailed from Purvati village in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh and was the only tribal from the Bastar region to rise to the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee.
He headed the *PLGA Battalion No. 1, considered the most lethal strike unit of the Maoists. Over the past two decades, he is believed to have led or masterminded *more than 30 attacks in Dantewada and Sukma.
Hidma was the alleged mastermind behind several major assaults, including:
- The 2010 Dantewada attack, in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed — the deadliest Maoist attack in India’s history.
- The 2013 Jhiram Ghati massacre, which left 27 people dead, including senior Congress leaders.
- The 2021 Sukma attack, where 22 security personnel were killed.
Having gone underground nearly 25 years ago, Hidma quickly climbed the Maoist hierarchy due to his expertise in guerrilla warfare and planning large-scale strikes.
Major Blow to Maoist Regrouping Efforts
Tuesday’s encounter is being seen as a significant achievement for security agencies, especially as the CPI (Maoist) has been attempting to regroup in the Andhra–Odisha border (AOB) region — once a stronghold of Maoist activity.
With the elimination of Madvi Hidma, a key strategist and operational commander, security forces believe the Maoist movement has suffered a major leadership vacuum at a critical time.
