Top maoist leader Madvi Hidma,5 others shot dead in AP encounter

Six Maoists, including top CPI (Maoist) leader Madvi Hidma, were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces at Mareduumilli in the Alluri Sitaram Raju district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. According to information, the exchange of fire began around 6 a.m. and was still underway at the time of reporting, according to senior police officials. Combing operations have been intensified in the region as security forces continue their pursuit of remaining Maoist operatives.The encounter is part of an ongoing multi-state crackdown aimed at dismantling Maoist influence along the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. Andhra Pradesh DGP Harish Kumar Gupta is closely overseeing the operation, which authorities say is crucial to curbing underground activities in the dense forest zones that have long served as Maoist strongholds.
Madvi Hidma, one of the most feared and elusive Maoist commanders, had been a high-priority target for security agencies for years. Known for his tactical expertise in guerrilla warfare, he played a central role in planning and executing several high-profile attacks against security forces. Hidma commanded Battalion 1 of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), regarded as one of the most lethal and disciplined units within the Maoist organisation.
Born around 1981 in Purvati village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, Hidma belonged to the Muriya tribal community. He joined the Maoist movement in the 1990s after dropping out of school, rising swiftly through the ranks due to his operational capabilities. His battalion primarily operated across Sukma, Dantewada, and Bijapur—districts that have witnessed some of the deadliest confrontations between Maoists and security forces.Security agencies had nearly captured Hidma earlier this year. In January, he narrowly escaped an operation in the Pujari-Kanker area of south Bastar during an encounter that left at least 18 Naxalites dead. His ability to evade capture repeatedly made him a symbol of the Maoist movement’s resilience in central India.