Sukma: Following the killing of top Maoist Commander Madvi Hidma in a police encounter, the Puvarti locals expressed a hope for a return to normalcy. Villagers, who had lived under Hidma’s influence for years, are relieved that the violence has ended.
Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district witnessed the establishment of government camps that have initiated the issuance of identity and benefit cards for locals. The villagers have said that the government has been setting up camps to issue Aadhar, Voter ID, and ration cards since last year. Earlier, they said, Naxals didn’t allow such camps to be established here.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh: Top Naxal Commander Madvi Hidma was killed in an encounter with the Police in Andhra Pradesh on 18th November.
Visuals from his native village Puvarti in Sukma where a health camp and a camp to make Aadhaar Card, Voter ID and Ration Card have been set up.… pic.twitter.com/hKyTRaL1wz
— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2025
Speaking to ANI, a local informed about Hidma’s mother residing in the same village and said that Hidma was “taken away” by the Maoists and was involved in multiple killings. Hidma’s body will be brought back to the village, he added.
“His mother lives here. Hidma was born in this village. He was taken away by them (Naxals). He had killed several people. His body will be brought here. He had made several people in the village join Maoists, but now they have all surrendered and joined the mainstream. Earlier, there were no amenities here due to Naxals, but now we have water and electricity,” the local said.
Hidma’s death is seen as a major blow to the Maoist’s outfit, potentially signalling a “near-endgame,” which locals hope will lead to peace in their region. The incident comes after a deadline set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to eliminate the most-wanted Maoist by November 30, 2025.
Another villager apprised of the lack of schools in the village and of their efforts to get an education by travelling “far away”. He hoped that students would be able to study in schools here and wouldn’t have to travel outside the village.
“Earlier, there was no school here, and we had to go far away to study. Students had to go outside the village to study. It would be good if students could study in schools here itself. Roads have been built here. The water supply has reached here. There were no amenities here because of the Naxals. I first heard Hidma’s name in 2022-23,” he said.
Another local said that he got his ration card made after the government set up camps in the village.
“Camps for Aadhaar Card, Ration Card, Voter ID have been set up here. Doctors have also come here for medical checkups. Experts on animal and bird rearing have also come here. I got my ration card made. Earlier, there were no schools here. Camps were not set up either. Students had to go to adjacent districts for schooling. Naxals don’t come here anymore. I heard about Hidma. He had killed people,” he said.
The 43-year-old top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was responsible for at least 26 deadly attacks against security forces and civilians, including the 2017 Sukma attack in which 26 CRPF personnel were killed, was eliminated during an encounter on November 18. He was also involved in the 2010 Dantewada attack, which resulted in the killing of 76 CRPF personnel.
Along with Hidma, his wife Raje and 4 other members of the Maoist group were also killed. The dreaded Naxal commander was eliminated even before the November 30 deadline set by the security forces for his capture.
Before his elimination Hidma served as the head of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, which is considered the Maoists’ deadliest strike unit. He was the youngest member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the only tribal from the Bastar region to hold this position.
Hidma is responsible for at least 26 deadly attacks, including the 2017 Sukma attack and 2013 Jhiram Valley massacre in which 27 people, including prominent Congress leaders from Chhattisgarh, were killed. He was also involved in the 2010 Dantewada attack, which resulted in the killing of 76 CRPF personnel, and the 2021 Sukma-Bijapur encounter, which led to the deaths of 22 security personnel. (ANI)
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