The decades-long pursuit of Madvi Hidma, India’s most feared Maoist commander, came to a dramatic end when security forces neutralised him in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitaramaraju district on 18 November. His death, confirmed after an intense early morning encounter, marks a watershed moment in India’s campaign against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), widely seen as the most decisive counter-insurgency success in recent years.

The Making of A Phantom Commander

Born in the remote Puvarti village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, Hidma was drawn into the Maoist movement as a teenager in the late 1990s. Over time, he rose through the ranks of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) to command the dreaded Battalion No. 1—a unit synonymous with some of the deadliest ambushes in India’s insurgency-hit zones.

For years, he eluded capture and even identification. Security agencies lacked a verifiable photograph, often relying on interrogation reports and rough sketches from surrendered cadres. A clear image surfaced only earlier this year, finally giving agencies a tangible visual reference after two decades of guesswork.

Orchestrator of Mass-Casualty Attacks

Hidma’s operational reach extended across multiple states, particularly Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Odisha. His name became synonymous with high-casualty attacks—most infamously the 2010 Tadmetla massacre in Dantewada, in which 76 CRPF personnel lost their lives. Intelligence agencies have also linked him to several ambushes across Sukma and Bastar, where his units employed sophisticated guerrilla tactics, improvised explosive devices, and decoy traps with devastating precision.

By 2022, his battlefield success translated into political elevation: Hidma was inducted into the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, symbolising the organisation’s tilt towards military aggression rather than ideological propagation. Known for his ability to blend tribal influence with insurgent command, he represented both a tactical brain and a propaganda symbol for Maoist resilience.

The Intelligence Dragnet Tightens

Over the past two years, sustained joint operations in the southern Chhattisgarh–Telangana–Andhra tri‑junction pushed Hidma’s battalion into retreat. Coordinated drives by the CRPF, CoBRA, and local police units degraded several Maoist bases and choke points across Sukma and Malkangiri. This pressure forced Hidma’s core group to migrate deeper into the forests along the Andhra border.

According to officials, the elite Greyhounds unit of Andhra Pradesh Police received credible intelligence that high-ranking Maoist leaders were operating in Maredumilli mandal. After several days of surveillance, commandos launched a pre-dawn operation that culminated in a fierce firefight between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m.

Hidma, his wife and fellow Central Committee member Madakam Raje, and four other key cadres were killed in the exchange. Security forces seized rifles, ammunition, wireless sets, detonators, and electronic components. Thirty-one Maoist operatives were detained during the subsequent sweep of the area, signalling a major disruption to the group’s remaining network.

Strategic And Psychological Turning Point

Hidma’s elimination is being described by senior security officials as the single most debilitating strike against the Maoist command hierarchy in recent memory. Intelligence assessments suggest that the CPI (Maoist) politburo is now reduced to a handful of surviving active members, with the organisation’s operational strength dwindling to roughly 300 armed cadres across Bastar and adjoining forests.

The psychological blow is equally stark. Hidma was more than a field commander—he was a symbol of tribal militancy and defiance. His death leaves a leadership vacuum many analysts consider irreparable. Dissatisfaction among lower tribal cadres has reportedly grown in recent months, with defectors citing heavy losses and declining ideological conviction.

The Shape of A Fading Insurgency

Government data show a dramatic fall in LWE-linked incidents over the past five years, supported by improved intelligence sharing, increased road connectivity in remote forest belts, and welfare outreach in previously inaccessible zones. With Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Modi both emphasising that the “red corridor is turning into a growth corridor,” the administrative momentum now appears irreversibly tilted in favour of the state.

Hidma’s death may serve as the symbolic closure of a violent chapter that spanned over two decades. For security forces, it underscores the effectiveness of persistent intelligence, tactical patience, and inter‑state coordination. For the Maoist movement, it marks the disintegration of its most feared operational arm—once considered invincible in the forests of Dandakaranya.

Based On ET News Report