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Time of India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh: 23 Maoists, senior commanders from PLGA battalion carrying bounty of Rs 1.18 crore surrender in Bastar
RAIPUR: In what is being said as a big blow to Maoists' organization, and a success in anti-Naxal campaign, 23 Maoists carrying a cumulative cash bounty of Rs 1.18 crore surrendered before police and CRPF in Sukma district of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh on Saturday. A senior rank cadre involved in Sukma collector's abduction in 2012 and a personal guard to dreaded Maoist commander Hidma, also surrendered. The surrendered cadres include nine women and three couples, along with high-ranking members of the PLGA battalion. Sukma SP Kiran Chavan said that among them was Lokesh alias Podiyam Bhima, a divisional committee member on the level of a commander who was accused of participating in multiple deadly attacks, including the high-profile 2012 abduction of then Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon. Lokesh carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head. Many of the surrendered cadres had serious cases against them. Ramesh alias Kalmu Kesa, who served as a personal guard to Maoist commander Hidma, was involved in the January 2024 attack on the Dharamavaram camp and several earlier ambushes. Kavasi Masa was named in the 2017 Burkapal encounter. Puneem Deve, another key surrender, was active in the Mukram-Tadmetla conflict in 2010. Woman cadre Nuppo Gangi, who carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh, was linked to multiple IED blasts and ambushes from 2017 to 2025. Some of the surrendered militants belonged to units operating across the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, including members from the Kandhamal-Kalahandi division, indicating the weakening of Maoist hold even in peripheral areas. There is a DVCM cadre, six platform party committee members (PPCMs), four area committee members (ACMs), and twelve party members active across various divisions including PLGA battalion number 1, South Zonal Bureau, Kanger Valley Area Committee, and Eastern Bastar Division. Their decision to abandon the armed struggle is attributed to the influence of the Chhattisgarh Naxalite Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy-2025 and the state's ongoing 'Niyad Nella Nar' campaign, police said. The surrender event was held at the office of the Superintendent of Police, Sukma, in the presence of senior officials including CRPF DIG Anand Singh Rajpurohit (Sukma Range), CRPF DIG Syed Mohammad Habib Asgar (Jagdalpur Range), SP Kiran Chavan (Sukma), and commanders from CRPF's 223rd, 227th, 165th, 204th, and COBRA 208 battalions, along with DRG and RFT teams from Jagdalpur. According to senior officers, the decision to surrender stemmed from increasing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology, exploitation by external leaders, and rising resentment against violence inflicted on local tribal communities. The expansion of new police camps deep inside sensitive zones has also contributed to growing pressure on underground cadres. Sukma SP Chavan said that all surrendered members will be rehabilitated under the state's updated surrender policy. As per provisions, each will receive Rs 50,000 in immediate incentive and will be eligible for skill development, livelihood training, and other state support measures. CRPF DIG Anand Singh Rajpurohit said, 'This is a historic moment. These surrenders were not coerced but voluntary. They reflect a powerful shift in the ground reality of the conflict zone.' Police believe this is a turning point in Sukma's counter-insurgency efforts, and that more surrenders may follow in the coming months as the state continues to combine development, dialogue, and security enforcement in its anti-Naxal approach.
United News of India
25-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
CRPF personnel fulfil brother's duty at bride's farewell in Maoist heartland
Raipur/Sukma, June 25 (UNI) A powerful gesture by Indian security forces in Puverti, the native village of dreaded Maoist commander Hidma, has come to symbolize a changing dynamic between the security establishment and tribal communities in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-affected Sukma district. CRPF personnel stationed in the region attended the wedding of a local tribal bride, stepping in as symbolic brothers during her farewell ceremony. The village, long regarded as a Maoist stronghold and home to senior insurgent leaders like Hidma and Deva, witnessed scenes of joy, trust, and community bonding, offering a poignant contrast to its violent past. CRPF jawans from the 150th Battalion, deployed for anti-Naxal operations in the region, joined villagers in celebrating the wedding, dancing and singing alongside them. As the bride prepared for her departure to her marital home, the jawans stepped forward to perform the customary 'bidaai' ritual, traditionally led by a bride's brothers, offering blessings and emotional farewells. 'This moment was more than a ceremony, it was a bond of trust between the forces and the people,' said one of the elders in the village. The bride's family reportedly had no close male relatives available, prompting the jawans to take on the role without hesitation. Once considered a stronghold of Maoist activity, Puverti's transformation into a site of community engagement is being seen as a testament to the government's sustained efforts at peacebuilding and development in the region. With both the Centre and the state working in tandem to restore normalcy in Bastar, such emotional milestones are viewed as encouraging signs of social healing. A senior CRPF officer remarked, 'Security is not just about arms and operations, it is equally about empathy and connection. Our goal is to build strong relationships and earn the trust of the communities we serve.' UNI XC PRS
Hans India
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Chhattisgarh: Murder in hardcore Maoist's native village spikes tension
A villager was brutally murdered in Puvarti village, located within the Jagargunda police station area of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. Puvarti village holds significant strategic importance as it is the native place of Maoist commander Hidma and Battalion 1 chief Deva Barse. The village has produced 22 hardcore Maoists. The attack was allegedly carried out by a group of ten to fifteen Maoists, who ambushed the victim and killed him using sharp weapons, police sources said. The Maoists accused the villager of being a police informant, a charge that has often led to violent reprisals in insurgency-affected regions. His body was later recovered by the police, who have since launched an investigation into the incident. The murder has heightened tensions in the local community, reinforcing the persistent threat posed by Maoist insurgents in the region. Upon receiving information about the attack, security forces swiftly mobilised to the crime scene, securing the area and initiating an extensive search operation. Authorities have cordoned off the region and are actively interrogating villagers to gather intelligence on the perpetrators. For years, the village remained under the firm control of Maoists, with entry strictly prohibited without their authorisation. However, recent developments have marked a turning point. Security forces have successfully established a presence in Puvarti, which was previously considered one of the safest hideouts for Maoists in the Bastar region. The establishment of a security camp has led to remarkable changes, including the first-ever Panchayat elections in the area and the historic hoisting of the national flag -- a symbolic assertion of governmental authority in a region long dominated by insurgents. These developments signal a shift in governance and an effort to reclaim control over insurgency-affected territories. Authorities continue their efforts to track down those responsible for the attack and to strengthen security measures in the district. The incident underscores the persistent challenges faced by law enforcement in countering Maoist insurgency, particularly in remote and conflict-ridden areas. Security forces remain vigilant, working to dismantle Maoist strongholds and restore stability in the region.
India Gazette
30-05-2025
- India Gazette
Odisha Police arrest Maoist leader Kunjam Hidma in Koraput
Koraput (Odisha) [India], May 30 (ANI): Odisha's Koraput Police arrested Maoist leader Kunjam Hidma alias Mohan and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 and 35 rounds of bullets. According to an official release, based on credible intelligence regarding the movement of a group of banned CPI (Maoist) cadres in the forest area near the village Petguda under Boipariguda Police Station, a special operation was launched by the District Police using the district voluntary force (DVF) on the night of May 28. In the early hours of May 29, the DVF team noticed a group of Maoists camping on the hill. As the team moved to surround it, the Maoists, on being alerted, opened fire at the DVF team and fled into the jungle. In response, the team exercised controlled fire in self-defence. During the subsequent search, one Maoist cadre, Kunjam Hidma, was apprehended while attempting to hide in the nearby bushes, and others managed to flee, said the officials. According to the officials, Hidma joined the Maoist organisation in 2007 at 14, as he was inducted into Bal Sangham and Jana Natya Mandali (JNM), the cultural wing of the Maoists. From 2007 to 2013, he remained associated with Bal Sangham and JNM. Between 2013 and 2015, he worked as a party member under the Usur Local Organisation Squad (LOS) and received military training, during which he was issued a single-shot rifle. In 2016, he started operating in the AOB (Andhra Odisha Border) platoon, and later in 2019, he was promoted to the rank of ACM (Area Committee Member) and provided with an SLR rifle. He served in a military platoon under Suresh (SZCM), operating in the Bolpariguda area of Koraput district, the cut-off area of Malkangiri district (Odisha), and the Pedabailu region of ASR district (Andhra Pradesh). During 2021-2022, he was assigned to AOB Platoon Section-01, operating in the Pamed area of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. In 2023, he was transferred to Platoon-24 in the Kerlapal area under Sukma district, and in 2024, temporarily moved to Platoon-26, operating in the Malengiri area of Sukma. He returned to the AOB unit in May 2025 and has been active since then. Under the leadership of Suresh (SZCM) in the AOB team, he operated as an ACM in the South Bastar and Kerlapal areas of Chhattisgarh, said officials. Officials said Hidma was involved in several encounters with police and had Maoist-related cases against him in Odisha's Koraput and Malkangiri districts as well as in Chhattisgarh. (ANI)
New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Maoist with Rs 4 lakh bounty arrested along with arms, ammunition in Odisha
JEYPORE/KORAPUT: Kuniam Hidma, a hardcore Maoist carrying reward of Rs 4 lakh on his head, was arrested during a combing operation jointly carried out by Koraput police and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) near Petguda village in Boipariguda during the wee hours on Thursday. Addressing mediapersons, Koraput SP Rohit Verma said Hidma alias Mohan (33) of Janaguda village in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district was an area committee member (ACM) of the banned outfit CPI (Maoist). A most-wanted Maoist operative in Odisha, Hidma was nabbed when he was trying to flee during the combing operation. Revealing details about the operation, the SP said acting on a tip-off, a team led by Jeypore SDPO Partha Kashyap launched a search in the forest near Petguda on Wednesday night. During the operation, the team spotted four Maoist cadres. In the early hours of Thursday, the Maoists opened fire at the police team. The cops responded with controlled retaliation, ensuring no casualties on their side. While three of the Maoists managed to escape, Hidma was apprehended. A huge cache of arms and ammunition besides Maoist materials were seized from the encounter site. The seized items included one AK-47 rifle, 35 rounds of ammunition, 117 electric and non-electric detonators, gunpowder, walkie-talkies, gunpowder, knives and Maoist literature. During interrogation, Hidma revealed that he joined the Maoist movement in 2007 at the age of 14. Since then, he has been actively involved in extremist operations across Malkangiri and Koraput districts in Odisha besides Sukma and Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. He is linked to several violent incidents including encounters with security forces at Chandameta, Kondajhari, Kumbhikharri and Kolengabida between 2020 and 2023.
