Madvi Hidma (often misspelled as Mandvi Hidma) was one of India’s most-wanted Maoist insurgent commanders and a key leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), or CPI (Maoist). A tribal from the forests of south Bastar, Chhattisgarh, he rose from a child recruit to Central Committee member and operational chief behind some of the deadliest ambushes on security forces and political leaders in the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency.(Wikipedia)
On 18 November 2025, security forces killed Hidma in a major encounter in the forested border belt of Andhra Pradesh, a development Indian authorities described as one of the most significant blows to Left-Wing Extremism in recent years.(The Economic Times)
Early Life and Background
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Full Name: Madvi (also written Madvi/Mandvi) Hidma
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Birth: c. 1981–1984 (exact year disputed)
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Birthplace: Puvarti/Purvati village, Sukma district, Bastar region, then in undivided Madhya Pradesh, now Chhattisgarh, India(The Times of India)
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Community: Muriya, a Scheduled Tribe group from Bastar(The Times of India)
Hidma grew up in one of the most remote and economically deprived parts of India, where basic roads, healthcare and schools were either absent or extremely limited. Multiple reports suggest he studied only up to Class 10 before dropping out.(The Times of India)
Like many in the region, his early life was shaped by:
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Chronic underdevelopment and lack of state presence
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Local grievances around land, forest access and tribal rights
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Steady Maoist mobilisation, which presented itself as a resistance to perceived state exploitation
These conditions created a fertile ground for Maoist recruiters, and Hidma was drawn into the movement as a teenager.
Entry into the Maoist Movement
Most accounts place his recruitment into Maoist ranks in his mid-teens during the 1990s.
Key points about his early cadre years:
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Joined as a low-level village cadre / courier, known locally by aliases like Santosh, Hidmalu or Indravelu
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Initially tasked with messenger work, logistics, and area familiarisation for local guerrilla squads
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Developed a reputation for fearlessness in jungle terrain and intimate knowledge of forest routes in Sukma–Bijapur–Dantewada
Security agencies later described him as someone who understood the “psychology of the jungle war” and could disappear into the forests within minutes after an attack.(Wikipedia)
Rise Through the Ranks: From PLGA Battalion Commander to Central Committee
Commander of PLGA Battalion No. 1
Hidma’s real ascent began when he became the area commander of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, regarded as the most lethal fighting unit of CPI (Maoist) in the Dandakaranya region.(Wikipedia)
Battalion No. 1 operated across:
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Southern Sukma
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Dantewada
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Bijapur and adjoining stretches of the Dandakaranya forests
Under his command, the battalion specialised in:
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Large-scale, well-planned ambushes on security forces
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Use of U-shaped and L-shaped attack formations, IEDs and sniper fire
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Exploiting intelligence gaps and terrain familiarity to lure forces into traps
Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Leader
As his operational profile grew, Hidma was inducted into the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), which oversees Maoist activities in a large swathe cutting across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana.(Wikipedia)
He later became:
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Secretary of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, effectively the Maoist “boss” for central India, replacing senior Telugu leaders.(The Times of India)
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A key military strategist guiding guerrilla operations, recruitment and cadre deployment.
Youngest Central Committee Member
Hidma eventually rose to become the youngest member of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, the organisation’s second-highest decision-making body below the Politburo.(Wikipedia)
His elevation broke several internal patterns:
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He was one of the very few Bastar tribals to reach the Central Committee.(The News Minute)
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Traditionally, the top Maoist leadership was dominated by Telugu-speaking ideologues from Andhra–Telangana; Hidma’s promotion was seen as a shift towards empowering local tribal commanders.(The Times of India)
This caused internal tensions within the outfit, with some reports highlighting friction between the tribal base and Telugu leadership over strategy and control.(The Times of India)
Major Attacks and Criminal Cases Attributed to Madvi Hidma
Indian security agencies and multiple investigations have linked Hidma to a series of extremely deadly attacks over roughly two decades. While Maoist operations are often collective, he is widely described as the mastermind or field commander in several landmark incidents.(Wikipedia)
1. 2010 Dantewada (Tadmetla) Massacre
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Date: April 2010
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Location: Dantewada, Chhattisgarh
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Incident: Ambush that killed 76 CRPF personnel in one of the worst attacks on Indian paramilitary forces.(www.ndtv.com)
Hidma’s battalion allegedly executed a classic “U-shaped” ambush, using higher ground, dense tree cover and pre-planted IEDs to encircle the CRPF column. This attack cemented his reputation as a ruthless field commander.
2. 2013 Jhiram Valley (Darbha) Naxal Attack
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Date: 25 May 2013
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Location: Jhiram Ghati, Darbha valley, Bastar
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Incident: Attack on a Congress convoy that killed senior state Congress leaders and around 27 people in total.(PTI News)
The massacre targeted the political leadership of Chhattisgarh, and Hidma has been repeatedly named by investigators and political leaders as one of those responsible. The case remains politically and emotionally sensitive in the state.
3. 2017 Sukma Attack
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Location: Sukma district, Chhattisgarh
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Incident: Ambush in which 24 CRPF personnel were killed.(Wikipedia)
Hidma’s role was allegedly central to the planning and execution of this operation, relying on reconnaissance and human intelligence networks across tribal villages.
4. 2021 Sukma–Bijapur Ambush
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Date: 3 April 2021
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Location: Border of Sukma and Bijapur districts
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Incident: A large-scale ambush where 22 security personnel were killed and 20 Maoists also died in prolonged gun-battle.(Wikipedia)
Security forces had launched the operation specifically to capture or neutralise Hidma, based on intelligence of his presence in the area. NDTV and other outlets have reported that he is believed to have masterminded the operation.(www.ndtv.com)
5. Other Operations
Across his career, agencies have attributed at least 26 major attacks to him, including:(Wikipedia)
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The Burkapal ambush (2017) in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed
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Multiple IED blasts and ambushes in Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur
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Attacks on BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi in 2019, for which the NIA filed a charge sheet naming him among the accused.(Wikipedia)
Because of this record, he was frequently described in the media and official briefings as:
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“India’s most-wanted Maoist commander”
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“Most dreaded Naxal leader of Bastar”
These labels reflect the gravity of the charges and the death toll associated with attacks allegedly planned or led by him.(mint)
Bounty, Most-Wanted Status and Intelligence Profile
Over the years, different agencies placed varying reward amounts on Hidma:
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Some central intelligence profiles mention a ₹40–50 lakh bounty.(Wikipedia)
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Later media reports and state police sources suggested the reward had gone up to ₹1 crore, reflecting his status as a top target.(Navbharat Times)
Common elements from intelligence dossiers:(The Times of India)
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Height about 5’6”, medium build, mixed black-grey hair
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Fluent in Gondi, Hindi and some basic English
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Known for strict personal security protocols, constantly changing locations, and rarely allowing himself to be photographed
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Maintained a three-layer security ring of trusted bodyguards and armed cadres, often including women fighters
His village Puvarti reportedly remained largely inaccessible to the police for many years, symbolising both his local influence and state absence in the region.
Recent Years: Leadership, Internal Tensions and “Red Terror”
By 2024–25, Hidma had taken on more strategic responsibilities:
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Elevated as secretary of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, giving him influence over Maoist operations in large parts of central India.(The Times of India)
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Seen as one half of a new “Devji–Hidma” leadership combination, alongside Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji, reshaping Maoist strategy after the death or surrender of older generation leaders.(The Times of India)
At the same time:
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The CPI (Maoist) was under severe pressure from sustained operations like Mission Abhujmarh and expansion of forward security bases.(The Times of India)
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The movement faced shrinking cadre strength, surrenders, and ideological fatigue, even as pockets of violence continued.(The Times of India)
Internally, analysts noted that Hidma’s promotion represented a shift toward battlefield commanders over ideological theorists, raising concerns that violence could remain high even as the political core weakened.(The Times of India)
2025 Encounter and Death
On 18 November 2025, a joint operation by Andhra Pradesh Police and central forces tracked a Maoist group in the Maredumilli forest area of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, near the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.(Deccan Herald)
According to official statements and media reports:
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Security forces engaged Maoist cadres in a prolonged gunfight.
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Six Maoists were killed, including:
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Madvi Hidma
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His wife Raje / Rajakka, herself a Maoist cadre
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Several close bodyguards and local leaders.(Deccan Herald)
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Weapons including AK-47 rifles, a pistol and a revolver were recovered from the spot.(The New Indian Express)
Chhattisgarh Police and central agencies quickly confirmed his identity, calling it a “decisive moment” in the long fight against Naxalite violence.(The Economic Times)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had recently set a public target of making India Maoist-free by March 2026, hailed the encounter as a major step towards breaking the remaining backbone of the insurgency.(www.ndtv.com)
Legacy, Impact and Ongoing Debates
Madvi Hidma’s life and death sit at the intersection of:
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Structural neglect of tribal and forested regions
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Radical insurgent mobilisation promising justice but delivering prolonged violence
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State responses that have combined heavy security operations with varying degrees of development work
His “legacy” is controversial and widely condemned in mainstream public discourse:
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For the hundreds of lives lost – soldiers, policemen, politicians and civilians – in attacks linked to him
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For the atmosphere of fear sustained in large parts of Bastar and neighbouring areas
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For reinforcing a militarised cycle, making political resolution more difficult
At the same time, his trajectory from a marginalised tribal youth to a top insurgent commander is often cited in policy discussions as a warning about what happens when governance fails for decades in remote regions.(The Indian Express)
Whether his death will substantially accelerate the decline of CPI (Maoist) or trigger short-term retaliatory violence remains an open question that security experts are still assessing.(The Indian Express)
Interesting Facts about Madvi Hidma
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Only Bastar tribal in Central Committee – He was reportedly the only tribal from Bastar to make it to the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, which has historically been dominated by Telugu-speaking leaders.(The News Minute)
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From Class-10 pass to top leader – Unlike many Central Committee members who are graduates, Hidma is believed to have studied only up to Class 10.(The Times of India)
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Known by multiple aliases – Santosh, Hidmalu, Indra and other names appear in various police files and Maoist documents.
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Feared jungle tactician – Security forces grudgingly acknowledged him as a master of jungle warfare and ambush tactics.(www.ndtv.com)
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Highly secretive face – For years, security agencies had only old or blurred photos of him; newer images surfaced in the media barely months before his death.
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Accused in at least 26 attacks – Intelligence profiles and media reports consistently cite him as involved in around 26 major Maoist operations.(Wikipedia)
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Family in the movement – His wife, Raje/Rajakka, was also a Maoist cadre and died alongside him in the 2025 encounter.(Deccan Herald)
FAQs on Madvi (Mandvi) Hidma
1. Who was Madvi (Mandvi) Hidma?
He was a top Maoist commander from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, a senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist), and former commander of PLGA Battalion No. 1. He later became secretary of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and the youngest member of the party’s Central Committee.(Wikipedia)
2. Why was he considered India’s most-wanted Maoist?
Hidma was linked by investigators to around 26 major attacks, including the 2010 Dantewada massacre (76 CRPF jawans killed), the 2013 Jhiram Valley attack on a Congress convoy, and the 2021 Sukma–Bijapur ambush where 22 personnel died. These incidents gave him a reputation as one of the deadliest insurgent commanders in the country.(www.ndtv.com)
3. What was the reward on Madvi Hidma’s head?
Different sources mention bounties ranging from ₹40–50 lakh to ₹1 crore, reflecting his evolving threat profile and priority level for security agencies over time.(Wikipedia)
4. When and where was Madvi Hidma killed?
He was killed on 18 November 2025 in a joint operation by security forces in the Maredumilli forest area of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh, near the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.(Deccan Herald)
5. Was his family also involved in Maoist activities?
Yes. His wife, Raje (Rajakka), was herself a member of the Maoist organisation. She was killed in the same encounter that claimed Hidma’s life, along with several of his bodyguards and associates.(Deccan Herald)
6. What does his death mean for the Maoist movement?
Security forces and the Government of India have framed his killing as a major strategic victory, arguing that it removes a key operational brain behind many deadly attacks. However, analysts note that while it weakens the Maoists militarily in the short to medium term, the long-term decline of the movement depends equally on governance, development and political engagement in affected regions.(The Economic Times)

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