In a major fight against Naxalism, top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, accused of orchestrating at least 26 major attacks on security forces and civilians, has been killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharamaraju district. His wife, Raje alias Rajakka, is also among the dead.
The encounter unfolded around 6 a.m. in the dense jungles of Marud Palli in West Godavari district, near the Andhra Pradesh–Chhattisgarh–Telangana tri-junction. Total six bodies of Naxalites have been recovered after a fierce exchange of fire between security forces and Maoist cadres who were reportedly camping in the area.
According to the police, the exchange of fire began after security forces initiated a combing operation.
Security teams had launched a coordinated search following credible intelligence inputs indicating the presence of Maoist cadres in the area.
Six rebel bodies have been recovered so far, and the operation is ongoing. Hidma, born in 1981 in Sukma and carrying a Rs 50-lakh bounty, was one of the CPI (Maoist)’s most influential leaders.
