On 18th November, India’s long and difficult fight against Naxal violence reached an important moment when security forces killed Madvi Hidma, the country’s most-wanted Naxal commander.

He was shot dead during an early-morning encounter in the thick Maredumilli forests of Alluri Sitharama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh. The encounter took place close to the Chhattisgarh border between 6 am and 7 am, when a special team of forces launched a planned operation based on intelligence inputs. Officials confirmed that Hidma was not travelling alone. His wife, Raje, and senior Naxal cadres such as Chelluri Narayana and Tech Shankar were also killed in the same encounter. According to security agencies, the group led by Hidma was trying to escape from Chhattisgarh when they were intercepted by forces positioned along the route.

The death of Hidma is being seen as another strong blow to the CPI (Maoist). Over the last few years, the organisation has faced steady losses because of increasing pressure from security forces and coordinated operations across multiple states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly said that India is moving steadily towards eliminating Naxal extremism, and he has expressed confidence that by March 2026, India will be free from the decades-long challenge of Left-Wing Extremism. Interestingly, security agencies had fixed 30th November as the official deadline to capture Hidma, and his elimination took place 12 days earlier, showing the intensity and precision of the latest security push.

A Career of Terror That Shaped Bastar’s Violent Past

Hidma came from Purvathi, a village located in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. Over the years, he became one of the most feared and mysterious Maoist commanders in the Dandakaranya zone. He operated under several aliases such as Hidmalu and Santosh, identities that helped him avoid detection for long periods. His journey inside the organisation lasted nearly two decades, during which he climbed the hierarchy and became the head of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, considered the most dangerous and powerful strike unit of the Naxals.

He eventually became the youngest member of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee and the only tribal from Bastar to reach this senior position. Over the years, different state and central agencies placed rewards on his capture, and together these bounties crossed ₹1 crore, reflecting the seriousness of the threat he posed.

Who Exactly Was Madvi Hidma?

Madvi Hidma was born in 1981 in Purvathi village in Sukma district. He belonged to a poor tribal community in south Bastar, an area that has struggled with poverty and lack of development for decades. His early life was shaped by these conditions, and by the late 1990s, when he was still a teenager, he became involved with the CPI (M). He started his journey as a ground-level organiser and slowly became skilled in guerrilla warfare and ambush-style attacks.

Unlike many top Naxal leaders who remained far away from front-line combat, Hidma preferred to stay with the fighting units. He personally led ambush missions and took direct charge of operations. Security agencies became fully aware of his threat level after the 2010 Dantewada attack, a deadly incident that proved he was not just another member of the organisation but one of its key operational masterminds.

Over time, the reward on his head reached over ₹1 crore, but intelligence agencies still could not track him. Earlier this year, a photograph finally surfaced, giving agencies a rare visual confirmation after years of searching. Hidma constantly moved through remote forest belts, using dense jungle cover and an inner ring of loyal cadres to stay hidden.

According to security officials, Hidma played a central role in almost every major Naxal ambush in south Bastar. His involvement was confirmed in the 2010 Dantewada massacre that killed 76 CRPF personnel, the 2013 Jhiram Valley attack that wiped out senior Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh, and the 2017 Sukma attack that led to the deaths of 26 CRPF jawans. He was also a key figure behind the 2021 Sukma-Bijapur ambush, where 22 security personnel were killed. His unit operated deep inside the rugged forests of Abujhmad, a remote area known for its difficult landscape and almost no administrative presence.

Hidma was also reported to be present during the 2011 Tadmetla attack, where 75 CRPF personnel were killed. During this attack, he assisted senior commander Papa Rao in planning the ambush.

Why Security Agencies Could Not Trace Him for Years

According to officials, Hidma had an extremely deep understanding of the Abujhmad, Sukma, and Bijapur forest corridors, which allowed him to escape tracking for years. He did not depend on roads or familiar routes. His knowledge of every forest path, hill, and stream made him almost invisible. In addition to this, he operated with a four-layered security circle, making it nearly impossible for forces to reach him directly. His unit carried automatic rifles and had special training in guerrilla tactics, which increased the difficulty for security personnel.

His wife, Raje, was also an active member of his battalion and reportedly participated in several significant attacks. This made the core team around him even more loyal and impenetrable.

Over time, however, Operation Kagar weakened Hidma’s surrounding defence. Security forces across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh coordinated closely, which forced him deeper into the forests. These tightening operations eventually resulted in the interception that led to his death.

A senior Chhattisgarh Police officer explained the impact of his death in simple words, saying, “Hidma had acquired a heroic image among his cadres, and his elimination is a major step towards ending Naxal terror in the Bastar region.”

Current Status of Naxal Insurgency

Chhattisgarh Police IG Bastar, P. Sundarraj, described how the region has seen clear progress in recent years. He said, “Left Wing Extremism has been a major security challenge for decades, but the past few years have been significant for security forces. In the last two seasons, over 450 Naxal bodies have been recovered, including those of top commanders like Basavaraju.”

He also stated that more than 300 cadres — including senior members of the Central and Divisional Committees — have surrendered recently. In the last 20 months alone, about 2,200 Naxals have left the organisation and joined mainstream society.

Modi Government and Its Drive to End Naxalism in India

According to a reply received by OpIndia through an RTI, it was revealed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Left-Wing Extremism has sharply reduced across India’s “Red Corridor” in the last 11 years. The response from the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that Chhattisgarh recorded the highest number of surrenders (6,153) and the highest number of LWE-related killings (1,129) between May 2014 and 30th September 2025.

The year 2016 saw the most surrenders at 1,440, while 2025 (up to 30th September) recorded the highest number of LWE killings at 311, showing that insurgent strength is shrinking due to stronger and more coordinated operations. Home Minister Amit Shah has also announced that the government’s target is to end the Naxal problem by March 2026 under Operation Kagar.

OpIndia’s RTI data covered 10 states — West Bengal, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The data revealed that:

• 8,751 Naxals have surrendered since May 2014

• 1,801 Naxals have been killed

• 548 security personnel have sacrificed their lives in operations

• 1,630 civilians have been killed in Naxal-related incidents

• 5,277 weapons have been seized from LWEs between May 2014 and 30th September 2025

These figures match the Centre’s policy of combined inter-state operations, development-oriented programmes, and targeted rehabilitation measures. Recently, HM Amit Shah stated that the Naxal movement has now reduced to only three districts in the entire country.