New Delhi: In a major success for security forces, notorious Naxal commander Madvi Hidma was killed during an encounter in the East Godavari area of Andhra Pradesh. Hidma, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore, was neutralised along with his second wife, Raje alias Rajakka, and four other Naxal cadres. The encounter, carried out by Greyhound forces, targeted the highly dangerous PLGA Battalion-1 unit, which Hidma led.
Madvi Hidma, also known as Hidmallu and Santosh, was the youngest member of the Central Committee of CPI (Maoist). Born in Purvati village, South Sukma, Chhattisgarh, he joined the Naxal movement in his teens and rose to become the face of Naxal operations in Bastar and southern Chhattisgarh.
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18 Oct 2025
Hidma was a master strategist of guerrilla warfare and led the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion-1. Over his career, he orchestrated 26 major attacks, including:
• 2010 Dantewada Attack – 76 CRPF personnel killed
• 2013 Darbha Valley Massacre – 27 people killed
• 2017 Sukma Attack – Several security personnel were killed
He was among India’s most wanted Naxals, with a bounty exceeding Rs 1.45 crore.
The encounter occurred between 6 and 7 a.m. in forests near the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border after intelligence reports indicated increased Naxal activity. Security forces launched a precision search operation that escalated into a gunfight.
The six Naxals killed included:
• Madvi Hidma, Central Committee Member (CCM)
• Raje alias Rajakka, Deputy Committee Member (DVCM) and Hidma’s wife
• Chelluri Narayana (@Suresh), Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM)
• Tech Shankar
Andhra Pradesh DGP Harish Kumar Gupta confirmed the operation and said large-scale combing is ongoing to neutralize any remaining threats.
Madvi Hidma’s death is a major victory for Indian security forces and a critical step toward weakening the Naxal insurgency. By neutralising a leader responsible for decades of violence, authorities have delivered a severe blow to the operational capabilities of the CPI (Maoist), signalling a potential turning point in India’s long-standing fight against Naxalism.
Hidma’s death came a week after his mother Madvi Punji made an emotional appeal and publicly urged his son to shun the armed movement and surrender, which will pave the way for his rehabilitation. Punji’s appeal came after she met Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma in Sukma.
