End of One of the Most Influential Maoist Commanders, Madvi Hidma Encounter in the Maredumilli Forest

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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.

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.

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.