Elimination of top Maoist leader alters the balance in India’s longest insurgency

By Harsh Thakor* 

Madvi Hidma’s killing in an encounter in the Maredmilli forests along the Chhattisgarh–Andhra Pradesh border recently marks a significant moment for the  CPI (Maoist). His wife, Rajakka, and four others were also killed. Hidma, long considered one of the organisation’s most influential field commanders, had been associated with the insurgency in Bastar for nearly three decades. He was one of the few tribal cadres to rise from a child recruit to the upper decision-making levels of the banned Maoist party.

Hidma’s background lay in Puvarti, a village on the Sukma–Bijapur border that for years remained a Maoist stronghold. Recruited in 1991 as a Bal Sangham member, he spent his entire life inside the organisation. Though official records vary on the spelling of his name, within the Maoist ranks he was well known, particularly among local tribal cadres who saw him as one of their own. In a leadership historically dominated by Telugu-speaking seniors, his ascent was unusual.

By the early 2000s, Hidma had held positions across Bastar, including secretary of the Konta Area Committee and commander of Company No. 3. In 2009, he became leader of PLGA Battalion No. 1. Between 2009 and 2021, he was associated with several major attacks in the region, including those at Tadmetla (2010), Burkapal (2017), Minpa–Burkapal (2020), and Tekulgudem–Pedagelur (2021). These incidents caused significant casualties among security forces and influenced counter-insurgency strategies. The Jhiram Valley attack of 2013, in which senior Chhattisgarh Congress leaders were killed, further elevated his position within the Maoist hierarchy.

Security agencies viewed Hidma as central to Maoist operations in South Bastar, covering Bijapur, Sukma, Dantewada and neighbouring areas. His ability to move rapidly in remote terrain, avoid detection, and evade large-scale operations made him particularly difficult to apprehend. Even extensive deployments, such as the recent operations in the Karegutta Hills, failed to capture him. Officers involved in anti-Maoist efforts often cited the challenges posed by the region’s geography and communication gaps.

Former associates described him as a commander with detailed knowledge of the terrain and strong organisational control, though these descriptions often vary and are influenced by the perspectives of those who worked with him. He was known to communicate in multiple regional languages and used basic digital tools for operational planning. Accounts from former cadres suggest he maintained close relationships with those under him, but these claims are difficult to independently verify.

His death has also drawn criticism from Adivasi activists and human rights groups, who dispute the official encounter narrative. Activists including Soni Sori and Degree Prasad Chouhan argue that Hidma and others could have been arrested and that the incident reflects broader concerns about alleged excesses by security forces in Bastar. They contend that scrutiny of both Maoist violence and state actions is necessary in a constitutional democracy. Some activists also link Hidma’s participation in the insurgency to long-standing Adivasi grievances over land, forest and resource rights.
Meanwhile, sources claiming to be close to the development say, acting on information from an informer, the Greyhound Forces abducted six Maoist rebels, including Hidma, in the East Godavari area of Alluri Sitarama Raju district near Papikonda National Park in Andhra Pradesh. They were allegedly tortured and killed in the Maredu Milli forest, in what amounts to a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions and norms governing non-international armed conflicts.
The overall Maoist presence in Dandakaranya has been declining in recent years, and his death is expected to further weaken the organisation’s operational capacity. The CPI (Maoist) may fragment locally or withdraw further into remaining strongholds along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border and areas near Pamed. How the organisation responds will depend on its ability to regroup in a region where security forces have steadily expanded their presence.

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*Freelance journalist