Hidma's Killing A Decisive Breakthrough, Marks Turning Point In Anti-Maoist Ops: Intel Sources | Exclusive

Last Updated:November 18, 2025, 13:04 IST

Agencies said Hidma’s elimination significantly disrupts Maoist logistics, recruitment patterns & movement along Darbha-Sukma-Kontai axis, one of the strongest Maoist strongholds

Top maoist commander Madvi Hidma, behind 26 armed attacks, killed in encounter.

In what security agencies are calling one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years, top CPI (Maoist) commander Madvi Hidma, one of the most-wanted Naxal leaders in central India, has been killed in an encounter in Sukma.

Hidma, who carried a bounty of Rs 25-50 lakh, was the mastermind behind several high-casualty attacks on police and paramilitary forces over the past decade. Security sources said he directly planned or coordinated some of the most brutal ambushes in Bastar, Sukma, Dantewada, and the Maoist corridor extending toward Malkangiri.

Officials described his death as a decisive turning point that could reshape the Maoist movement across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and parts of Maharashtra.

A Major Blow to Maoist Operations

Intelligence agencies said Hidma’s elimination significantly disrupts Maoist logistics, recruitment patterns, and movement along the Darbha-Sukma-Kontai axis, considered one of the strongest and most strategically important Maoist strongholds.

With his fall, security officials believe the Maoist hierarchy has lost yet another highly trained commander capable of mobilising large cadres and coordinating multi-district operations.

“Right now, there is no leader of his stature left to fill the void," a source said.

Years of Intensified Operations Show Results

Over the past five years, a series of intensified counter-insurgency campaigns—Prahar, Samadhan-Prahar, and state-led operations—have pushed Maoist cadres deeper into dense forest pockets. Officials estimate that Maoist influence in the region has reduced by nearly 40 per cent during this period.

These operations, they said, set the stage for what has become one of the most impactful blows to the Maoist command structure in recent memory.

Security forces believe the success will help open a new chapter focused on development across southern Chhattisgarh. With more territory now considered secure, the administration plans to accelerate road construction, expand telecom connectivity, and strengthen welfare delivery in remote areas.

In the past two years alone, more than 1,500 kilometres of roads, 200 mobile towers, and numerous schools and health centres have been built in reclaimed zones, according to officials overseeing the development push.

Forces on High Alert for Possible Retaliation

Despite the breakthrough, agencies have not ruled out the possibility of retaliatory attacks by Maoist groups attempting to reassert their presence. Security forces in Bijapur, Narayanpur, Sukma, and adjoining border regions have been placed on high alert.

Officials said while operational vigilance will remain high, the psychological impact of Hidma’s killing on the Maoist hierarchy is equally significant.

Sources say the killing marks not just a tactical victory but a major morale boost for forces operating in the Red Corridor. “This is a crucial shift in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism. The landscape, both operationally and psychologically, is changing," the source said.

As operations continue and development measures expand, authorities believe the balance of control in central India’s long-troubled Maoist belt is now turning more decisively in the state’s favour.

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

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