There has been news of a major encounter between security forces and Naxalites on the border of Andhra Pradesh. According to initial information, many Naxalites have been killed in this encounter. Bastar IG Sundarraj P has confirmed that Naxalite commander Hidma, carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, has been killed in an encounter that took place on Tuesday morning in Maredpally of Alluri Sitaram district of Andhra Pradesh. A total of six Naxalites have been reported killed in this encounter. According to the IG, Hidma’s wife Raje, who had a reward of Rs 40 lakh on her, is also included among the killed Naxalites.
Hidma was responsible for at least 26 major deadly attacks.
Hidma was considered responsible for at least 26 major and deadly attacks in the country. It played a central role in several attacks including the 2013 Darbha Valley massacre and the 2017 Sukma attack. He was under the surveillance of security forces for a long time.
What is the background of Hidma?
Hidma was born in 1981 in Poovarti village of Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. He was the youngest member of the Central Committee of CPI (Maoist) and was also the only tribal to reach the Central Committee from Bastar region. He was the chief of PLGA Battalion No. 1, considered the most lethal attacking unit of the Maoists. Along with him, his second wife Raje (Rajakka) was also killed in the encounter. His real name is said to be Santosh.
Those attacks in which Hidma was the main conspirator
Hidma was identified as the biggest threat to the security forces for many years. He was involved in these infamous attacks:
2010 Dantewada attack: 76 CRPF soldiers martyred
2013 Jheeram Valley massacre: 27 people killed, including top Congress leaders
2021 Sukma-Bijapur encounter: 22 security personnel martyred
Two other killed Naxalites are also being identified.
Apart from this, Tech Shankar and Challuri Narayan alias Suresh, who was a member of the Special Zonal Committee and on whom a reward of Rs 40 lakh was declared. His death has also been officially confirmed. The work of identifying the remaining two Naxalites is being done by the Greyhounds Police of Andhra Pradesh. Hidma’s death is being considered a big and decisive blow to the Maoist organization.
3 Naxalites were killed in Chhattisgarh on Sunday
Earlier, three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, on whom a total reward of Rs 15 lakh was declared. Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Chavan said that a team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) had an encounter with Naxalites in the hilly areas of Bhejji and Chintagufa police station areas in the morning when the team had set out on an anti-Naxal operation based on information about the presence of Maoists in the area. He told that there was intermittent firing between the security forces and the Naxalites for a long time, after which the bodies of three Naxalites, including two female Naxalites, were recovered from the spot.
A cache of weapons also recovered
The officer said that .303 rifle, barrel grenade launcher (BGL), other weapons and explosives were also recovered from the encounter site. Chavan said the slain Naxalites have been identified as area committee member Madvi Deva, CNM (Chetna Natya Mandali – a cultural organization of the Maoists) commander Podiyam Gangi and Kistaram area committee member Sodhi Gangi, both of whom were women and carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh each. Deva, the officer said, was a sniper expert and a dreaded member of the Maoists’ Konta Area Committee and was involved in the killing of several innocent civilians.