A major counter-insurgency operation in Odisha led to the arrest of Kunjam Hidma, a key Maoist leader and Area Committee Member (ACM) of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), in the dense forests near Petguda village under Boipariguda Police Station in Koraput district. This development comes just days after the killing of top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, along with 26 others, in a significant encounter in Chhattisgarh, marking a period of intense pressure on Maoist networks across central and eastern India.

Acting on credible intelligence inputs regarding the movement of CPI(Maoist) cadres from Chhattisgarh attempting to enter Odisha via Andhra Pradesh, the District Police, in collaboration with the District Voluntary Force (DVF), launched a targeted operation on the night of May 28, 2025. Early on Thursday morning, the security team spotted a group of Maoists camping on a hilltop.

 As the forces moved in to encircle the location, the Maoists opened fire before fleeing into the jungle. The police responded with controlled fire in self-defence, and no injuries were reported on the law enforcement side. During the subsequent search, Kunjam Hidma was apprehended while attempting to hide in nearby bushes, while the rest of the group managed to escape.

From Hidma’s possession, authorities recovered a substantial cache of arms and explosives, including an AK-47 rifle, 35 rounds of live ammunition, 27 electric detonators, non-electric detonators, approximately 2 kg of gunpowder, steel containers, radios, a Motorola walkie-talkie, spare batteries, knives, a small axe (Katuri), torchlights, black polythene, Maoist literature, and various other items. The recovery of these materials suggests that Hidma was likely preparing for a major operation or was actively involved in logistical support for Maoist activities in the region.

Hidma, a resident of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, carries a reward of ₹4 lakh on his head from Odisha authorities, with additional rewards of up to ₹8 lakh offered by Chhattisgarh for his capture. He is directly linked to at least seven major violent incidents in Odisha—four in Koraput and three in Malkangiri districts—and is suspected of involvement in numerous anti-government and anti-national activities across the tri-junction of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. His arrest is considered a significant setback for the Maoist movement in the region, potentially disrupting their operational capabilities and weakening their network.

During interrogation, Hidma revealed his long-standing involvement with the Maoist organisation. He joined the movement in 2007 at the age of 14, initially being inducted into Bal Sangham and Jana Natya Mandali (JNM), the cultural wing of the Maoists. Between 2007 and 2013, he remained associated with these units before being promoted to a party member under the Usur Local Organisation Squad (LOS) between 2013 and 2015, where he received military training and was issued a single-shot rifle.

In 2016, he began operating along the Andhra-Odisha border. By 2019, he had risen to the rank of ACM and was provided with an SLR rifle, serving in a military platoon under Suresh in the Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM) structure. His operational areas included the Boipariguda region of Koraput, the cut-off area of Malkangiri, and the Pedabailu region in Andhra Pradesh.

Between 2021 and 2022, Hidma was assigned to the Andhra Odisha Border Platoon Section-01, operating in the Pamed area of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. In 2023, he was transferred to Platoon-24 in the Kerlapal area under Sukma district, and in 2024, he was temporarily moved to Platoon-26 in the Malengiri area of Sukma before returning to the Andhra Odisha Border unit in May 2025. His extensive operational history across three states highlights his strategic importance within the Maoist hierarchy and his role in coordinating cross-border activities.

Police investigations are ongoing to trace Hidma’s network and associates, as well as to verify his involvement in additional anti-government activities. His capture is expected to yield valuable intelligence and further weaken the Maoist presence in the tri-junction region, marking a notable success in ongoing efforts to curb Left-Wing Extremism in eastern India.

Agencies