An encounter unfolded early this morning between the rebels and Andhra Pradesh police in the dense Maredumilli forest, near the point where Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana meet. Police forces have already spotted the bodies of at least six rebels, and the operation continues to remain active on the ground.
As per an NDTV report, Andhra Pradesh DGP Harish Kumar Gupta confirmed that the exchange of fire happened between 6 am and 7 am. "In the exchange of fire, six Maoists were killed, including a top Maoist leader. A massive combing operation is currently underway.”
Amit Bardar, Superintendent of Police, Alluri Sitarama Raju district, told The Indian Express in the morning, “We have been able to confirm that six Maoists have been neutralised. The operation is ongoing. We will get more details once our parties return.”
Hidma was killed in the encounter
Among those killed was Hidma — one of the most feared Maoist commanders. Born in 1981 in Sukma, back when it was still part of Madhya Pradesh, he rose quickly within the ranks to lead a battalion of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army. His ascent made him the youngest member of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, their highest decision-making body. He was also the only tribal representative from Bastar on that committee. Hidma carried a bounty of Rs 50 lakh. His wife, Raje alias Rajakka, is believed to have been killed in the encounter as well.
Hidma’s name has long been linked to some of the deadliest Maoist attacks in India. He is associated with the 2010 Dantewada massacre that left 76 CRPF personnel dead, the 2013 Jhiram Ghati ambush in which 27 people — including senior Congress leaders — were killed, and the 2021 Sukma-Bijapur attack that claimed the lives of 22 security personnel.
His death marks a major setback for Maoist forces at a time when they are already weakened by sustained security pressure and a wave of surrenders.
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At the NDTV World Summit last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the scale of this shift. He said more than 300 Maoists had surrendered within 24 hours. He said, "In the last 50-55 years, thousands were killed by Maoist terrorists. They would not allow schools or hospitals to be built, they would not let doctors enter clinics, and they would bomb institutions. Maoist terrorism was an injustice to the young people.”
One of the most notable surrenders came from Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi. After giving himself up on October 14, Bhupathi urged his fellow Maoists to abandon violence.
