- Security forces had received specific intelligence inputs about Hidma’s activities in the tri-junction area of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.
- Based on this input, a special team launched an operation early in the morning in the dense forest.
- In this encounter, which lasted for nearly four hours, Hidma, his wife Raje, and four other Maoists were killed.
- The operation was led by Andhra Pradesh’s special force Greyhounds, with support from central forces.
Madvi Hidma
- Madvi Hidma was a resident of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh, and he rose from a local tribal background to become one of India’s most dangerous Maoist leaders.
- He was the commander of PLGA’s Battalion-1 and also a member of the Central Committee of CPI (Maoist).
- He was involved in several major attacks in Chhattisgarh and carried a heavy bounty.
- He was notorious for his strict discipline, guerrilla warfare strategy, and operational capability in the Dandakaranya region.
Increasing Pressure on the Naxal Network
- Continuous operations over the past few years have inflicted heavy damage on the Maoist network in central India.
- Due to persistent pressure, Hidma’s security had weakened, and he was forced to hide deep inside the forests.
- Parallel operations in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh disrupted Maoist guerrilla routes and restricted their safe zones.
- As a result of these operations, Maoist activities have significantly reduced compared to earlier times.
Exam-Oriented Facts
- The Naxal movement began in 1967 in Naxalbari, West Bengal.
- At its peak, the “Red Corridor” extended across more than 125 districts.
- In 2025, more than 1,600 Maoists surrendered.
- The armed wing of CPI (Maoist) is called the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
Is This the Beginning of the End of Naxalism?
- Hidma’s death comes at a time when a record number of senior and junior cadres are surrendering from Maoist organisations across the country.
- Government data shows that the number of active Maoist fighters has declined rapidly, and the government is moving swiftly toward its target of eliminating Left-Wing Extremism by 2026.
- However, experts believe that although the movement has weakened, its ideological remnants may persist in some remote areas.
- Such remnants may attempt to re-emerge in the future as small groups.
