Andhra Pradesh: A high-level intelligence operation in Andhra Pradesh has led to the death of notorious Maoist leader Madvi Hidma. Security forces launched the strike after days of tracking the Maoist movement, with officials saying they “waited for the right opportunity and today, that entire action is being taken,” NDTV reported.

The encounter took place on Monday in the Maredumilli forest of the Alluri Sitharamaraju district, near the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Hidma, accused of leading at least 26 armed attacks on security forces and civilians, was among six rebels killed. His wife, Raje, and four armed guards were also found dead at the site.

Specific intelligence triggered the operation

Mahesh Chandra Ladha, ADG Intelligence, Andhra Pradesh, who oversaw the intelligence-led operation, said the breakthrough came after inputs indicated that senior Maoist leaders had entered the state in an attempt to revive their network. “In the last one or two days, we had very specific intelligence that a few of the top Maoist leaders are entering Andhra Pradesh and they are planning to revive the movement,” Ladha said.

He added that Maoist cadres had been attempting to regroup and find shelter in the region. “So keeping a continuous watch on that, we waited for the right opportunity and today, that entire action is being taken,” he said. He noted that some Maoists managed to escape, and that combing operations were continuing.

Weapons recovered

Security forces recovered a significant cache of arms and equipment from the location. Ladha said: “We have recovered a few arms and ammunition, particularly two AK-47s, a pistol, a revolver, a single-bore weapon and other materials along with kit bags and all,” NDTV reported. He confirmed that the bodies were being moved for post-mortem examinations as per protocol.

About Hidma

Born in 1981 in Sukma, then part of Madhya Pradesh, Hidma rose through the ranks to command a battalion of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army and eventually became the youngest member of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee. He was the only tribal representative from the Bastar region on the panel and carried a bounty of ₹50 lakh.

Hidma was linked to several major Maoist attacks over the past decade. These include the 2010 Dantewada attack that killed 76 CRPF personnel, the 2013 Jhiram Ghati ambush that left 27 people, including senior Congress leaders, dead, and the 2021 Sukma–Bijapur attack in which 22 security personnel were killed.