Naxal Commander Madvi Hidma Killed: Major Blow to Maoist Insurgency

Madvi Hidma's Elimination

• 🚨 Madvi Hidma, a top Maoist commander and Central Committee member, was killed on November 18 in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitarama Raju district.
• 🎯 The operation, involving security forces and Maoists, resulted in the deaths of Hidma, his wife Raje, and four other Maoists, with AK-47s and other weapons recovered.
• 💡 Chhattisgarh IG P. Sundar Raj described Hidma's death as a decisive advantage for security forces, emphasizing that Maoists now only have the option to abandon violence.

Hidma's Notorious Background

• 👤 Born in Sukma in 1981, Hidma was the youngest Central Committee member of the Maoist party and commanded Battalion No. 1, their most dangerous fighting unit.
• 💰 He was on NIA's most wanted list with a reward of over 1 crore from central and state governments, known for his deep knowledge of the Bijapur and Abujmarh forests.
• 💥 Hidma was linked to major Maoist attacks, including the 2010 Dantewada attack (76 CRPF jawans killed), the 2013 Jhiram Valley massacre (27 people, including Congress leaders), and the 2021 Sukma-Bijapur ambush (22 security personnel killed).

The Operation and Its Significance

• 🕵️‍♂️ Intelligence agencies received leads on Hidma's activities, prompting a joint operation by Andhra Pradesh's Greyhounds unit and local police, using snipers and drones.
• 🚀 His death is considered a major blow to Maoists, especially after the 2021 neutralization of Milind Teltumbde, and a significant step towards the government's goal of ending Naxalism by March 2026.
• ⛓️ The crackdown continues, with 31 suspected Maoists arrested in other regions, including security guards of another commander, Devji, who was also apprehended.

Challenges Ahead

• ⚠️ While Hidma's death reduces the immediate threat, the challenge of eradicating Maoist ideology remains significant.
• 🧠 Even after the deaths of top leaders, supporters view them as revolutionaries and martyrs, highlighting the ideological struggle.
• 🗓️ The upcoming 60th DGP-IGP conference (November 28-30) will discuss strategies for a final decisive attack on Naxalism, with PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah attending.