Chhattisgarh: Has the Dreaded Maoist Hidma Been Dropped Out of CC of Naxals?

�Raipur: Security forces are verifying the authenticity of a lead suggesting that dreaded Maoist Madvi Hidma, ex-commander of Naxals’ fiercest fighting formation, Battalion No.1, has of late been dropped from the Central Committee (CC), the policy-making body of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), sources said on Sunday.

If the speculations on Hidma being shunted out of the CC of Maoists come true, then it is a significant development in the insurgency outfit, a senior police officer told this newspaper, unwilling to be quoted.

The development, if it has happened, signifies chaos and confusion in the Maoist cadres in the wake of recent setbacks dealt to them by the security forces in Bastar in Chhattisgarh, he added.

“There is a speculation that Hidma has been dropped from the CC of Maoists. But we have not received any authentic document to confirm it”, Bastar range inspector general of police P Sunderraj said.

Hidma is a native of Puvarti village in Sukma district under south Bastar. He is the only Maoist leader from Bastar who rose to the rank of CC member.

He was the commander of the heavily armed, 350-member Battalion No.1 of Maoists.

He has a three-lay security around him and given slips to security forces umpteen times, the recent being in Pujari-Kanker area in south Bastar during an encounter in which 12 Naxals were killed on January 16.

Buzz in the Maoist circles, heard by the surrendered Naxals, is that he has been replaced by top Naxal leader from Jharkhand Patiram Manjhi who carries a bounty of Rs one crore, sources said.

Meanwhile, Mr Sunderraj denied reports that six jawans were killed in the Pujari-Kanker encounter in Bijapur district in south Bastar on January 16, in which 12 ultras were gunned down, as false propaganda by Maoists to boost sagging morale of their cadres.

“There was no casualty among jawans in the encounter”, he said.

In another development, police on Sunday identified bodies of eight Maoists gunned down in the forest of Gangaloor in Bijapur district on Saturday.

Three of the eight slain Maoists have been identified as senior Naxal leaders carrying Rs five lakh and Rs three lakh bounty each