Madvi Hidma, a 43-year-old top Maoist commander linked to at least 26 major attacks on security forces and civilians, was killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. He was behind several of the deadliest Maoist strikes, including the 2017 Sukma attack that left 26 CRPF personnel dead and the 2010 Dantewada massacre in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed. He also played a key role in the 2013 Jhiram Valley attack that claimed the lives of 27 people, including senior Congress leaders from Chhattisgarh, and the 2021 Sukma–Bijapur encounter that killed 22 security personnel.

Sources said Hidma’s wife, Raje, and other Maoist members such as Chelluri Narayana and Tech Shankar were also killed in the operation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was briefed by senior officials following Hidma’s elimination, which occurred before the November 30 deadline set by the forces.

Born in 1981 in Purvathi village in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, Hidma headed the PLGA Battalion No. 1, considered the Maoists’ most lethal strike unit. He was the youngest member of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee and the only tribal leader from Bastar to reach this rank. A reward of ₹50 lakh had been announced for his capture.

Officials highlighted that the security forces’ operations in Bastar over recent years have been significant. According to IG P. Sundarraj, over 450 Maoists have been killed in the region in the last two years, and more than 300 cadres—including senior leaders—have surrendered in recent months. He added that over 2,200 Maoists have returned to the mainstream in the past 20 months, and expressed confidence that Chhattisgarh could be free of Naxal influence by March 31, 2026.