A day after Hidma’s elimination, seven Maoists killed in encounter — massive blow to Reds!

Three women Maoists were among the killed.

Addressing a press conference, AP Intelligence ADG Mahesh Chandra Laddha said the exchange of fire was a continuation of the encounter which took place on Tuesday.

"Seven Maoists have died until now, according to information received from the field," said Laddha as quoted by India Today.

One of the killed has been identified as Meturi Jokha Rao aka Tech Shankar, a resident of Srikakulam, the report added.

Notorious Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, accused of orchestrating more than two dozen deadly attacks on security personnel and civilians, was killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharamaraju district on Tuesday.

Photo: IBNS source

The firefight broke out in the Maredumilli forest, close to the meeting point of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

Police have recovered the bodies of at least six Maoists, including Hidma, and the search operation is still underway.

Who was Madvi Hidma?

Hidma, who operated under the aliases Hidmalu and Santosh, was among India’s most sought-after Maoist leaders and had become synonymous with the insurgency’s most violent strikes over the past two decades.

Born in 1981 in Sukma, then a part of Madhya Pradesh, he rose through the ranks to command a unit of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army.

He later became the youngest member of the CPI (Maoist)’s Central Committee—and the only tribal representative from the Bastar region in the party’s top leadership.

A bounty of Rs 50 lakh was announced for his capture. His wife, Raje alias Rajakka, is also believed to have died in the encounter.

Over nearly twenty years, Hidma emerged as one of the organisation’s most influential field commanders.

He was widely identified as the head of Battalion No. 1, the Maoists’ most dangerous strike force, active across the thickly forested Dandakaranya region.

His deep familiarity with the Abujhmad and Sukma–Bijapur forest corridor made him one of the most elusive and effective Maoist leaders in south Bastar.