Security forces killed notorious Naxal commander Madvi Hidma in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh's Maredumilli forest. The Rs 1 crore bounty leader was the mastermind behind the Jhiram Ghati attack. The incident delivers a major blow to Maoist leadership.
In Andhra Pradesh's Maredumilli forest, located near the Andhra-Chhattisgarh-Odisha trijunction, security forces killed Madvi Hidma in a gunbattle on Tuesday. The Bastar Maoist commander had led over 20 attacks, including the 2013 Jhiram Ghati assault that wiped out Congress leaders. He had studied only up to fifth grade and stood 5 feet 5 inches tall.
Hidma, with a Rs 1 crore bounty, was a key face of the CPI (Maoist). Following the encounter, Andhra Pradesh police arrested over 50 Maoist operatives, including top leaders, across districts and seized arms and cash.
In Maoist history, reporting on the red corridor since 2004 showed security forces initially at a disadvantage, but now successes come from helicopters, drones, and trained units like Greyhounds. The government aims to end Maoism by March 31, 2026. Affected districts have shrunk from 126 to 11. Hidma's death has left Maoist ranks rudderless.
