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Hidma, the top commander of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), carried a bounty of ₹1 crore (10 million rupees). Let’s find out how the PLGA, which Hidma led, was formed and what were Hidma’s responsibilities?
Top Naxalite commander Madvi Hidma was killed on Tuesday
New Delhi: Madvi Hidma, a synonym for fear in the dense forests and the country's most notorious Naxalite, was finally killed in an encounter. Hidma's fear was such that people held their breath just by hearing his name. He was killed in a fierce encounter in the Maredumilli forest of Andhra Pradesh. Hidma, the top commander of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), carried a bounty of ₹1 crore (10 million rupees). Let's find out how the PLGA, which Hidma led, was formed and what were Hidma's responsibilities?
The People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) was established in 2000 by the CPI (Maoist). It was formed as a major armed combat wing of the Naxalites. Through it, the Naxalites wage guerrilla warfare against the government and security forces. Equipped with sophisticated weapons, this organization is exclusively composed of young fighters who are also adept at face-to-face encounters.
Hidma was the commander of Battalion No. 1 of the PLGA. His battalion consisted of approximately 250 trained Naxalites. This same Hidma was killed by security forces in an encounter on the Andhra-Odisha border in Alluri Sitaramaraju district, Andhra Pradesh. Five other Naxalites were killed along with him, including Hidma's wife.
Born in Sukma, Chhattisgarh
Madvi Hidma was born in 1981 in a village called Puvarti in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh. His real name was Santosh, but he was known as Hidma in the jungles. Hidma was considered the most trusted, trusted, and right-hand man of the notorious Naxalite leader Ramanna. He often commanded the most lethal Naxalite operations in the Dandakaranya region. This made him a major threat to security agencies for years.
How he became the PLGA commander
Hidma was the only tribal from Bastar to climb the ladder of Maoism and make it to the Central Committee. He was the youngest member of the Central Committee of the CPI (Maoist). He was considered the mastermind behind the induction of youth into the Naxalite movement. Given these qualities, Hidma was appointed the commander-in-chief of Battalion No. 1 of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
He plotted attacks against security forces.
Hidma operated in the dense forests of Dantewada, Bijapur, and South Sukma. Security agencies learned that his battalion systematically maintained a network of bunkers in the forests. These bunkers were five feet deep, equally long and wide, and were built a few meters apart in the forest. They were used to protect against air strikes and surprise search operations. Hidma was responsible for carrying out major attacks against security forces.
A reward of ₹1 crore was announced.
Hidma had masterminded at least 26 major attacks in which security forces lost a large number of their personnel. This includes the Dantewala massacre in 2010, in which 76 CRPF soldiers were martyred. Furthermore, the 2013 Jheeram Valley attack, which claimed 27 lives, was also Hidma's brainchild. In 2021, 22 soldiers were martyred in Sukma-Bijapur.
For this reason, a reward of ₹1 crore was placed on him. Furthermore, as a top commander and a member of the Central Committee, Hidma was responsible for conducting secret meetings. These meetings reviewed levy collection, weapons availability, and the annual losses and profits. During this time, new responsibilities were assigned to lower-level cadres to further strengthen the organization's activities.
Celebrating PLGA Week
In addition to all this, the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Week was celebrated every year from December 2nd to 8th. It commemorated PLGA members who were killed during attacks against security forces. Furthermore, the organization's annual report was released during this week. It is clear that Hidma played a key role in this as well.
During this week, Hidma, the most notorious figure in Naxalite violence over the past two decades, led the planning of future attacks on security forces. Hidma's death is expected to be a major blow to the Maoist network. His death will not only weaken PLGA Battalion No. 1, but will also shake the entire Maoist structure in the Dandakaranya Special Zone and South Bastar.
