A chapter of Naxalite violence ends: Madvi Hidma and his wife Raje killed in encounter

A chapter of Naxalite violence in India ended today when the bodies of Naxalites killed in an encounter with security forces were identified. Bodies of Madvi Hidma and his wife Raje alias Rajakka were among them. These naxalites  were killed during an encounter in Alluri Sitaramaraju district of Andhra Pradesh.  The  site where Indian security forces achieved this success against Maoist violence this morning (Tuesday) is the Maredumilli forest near the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. The anti-Naxalite operation is currently underway. Madvi Hidma, carried a reward of  Rs. 50 lakh.

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta stated that the encounter was carried out  between 6 and 7 a.m. today. He said, “Six Maoists, including a top Maoist leader, were killed in the encounter. A massive search operation is currently underway.”

Madvi Hidma is accused of involvement in or planning more than two dozen attacks on Indian security forces. Many of these attacks were extremely dangerous, resulting in the deaths and serious injuries of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. This includes the 2010 Dantewada attack in which 76 CRPF personnel were martyred.

 The 2013 ambush in Jhiram Valley, which killed 27 people, including top Congress leaders, is also on the list of attacks in which Hidma was either involved directly or he had played an important role in conducting the crime.  Madvi Hidma also played a key role in the 2021 Sukma-Bijapur ambush, which killed 22 security personnel.

Madvi Hidma, approximately 45 years old, was born in Sukma, Madhya Pradesh. He led a battalion of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army and became the youngest member of the Central Committee which is the CPI (Maoist)’s top decision-making body. He was the only tribal member from the Bastar region on the Central Committee. His killing in the encounter is a major blow to the Maoists, especially at a time when they are grappling with the pressure of continued security force action and a surge of surrenders from their comrades.

Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Bhupati, is among several prominent Maoist leaders who have recently surrendered. After surrendering on October 14, he had urged his active comrades to lay down their arms and join the mainstream. He said that Maoists and their comrades involved in armed struggle for power and land must understand that their acts are  alienating them from the people, which reflects the “failure of the path”.