NIA begins probe against top Maoist commander

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a probe against Madvi Hidma, commander of Battalion-I of Maoist’s People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), in connection with the seizure of a cache of explosive materials, including 900 detonators, used for planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to target security forces, people familiar with the development said.

Hidma is the mastermind behind last month’s U-shaped ambush on security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district in which 22 security personnel were killed.

The officials cited above said that Hidma, who also goes by names Hidmal and Iduma, was booked in a matter related to the arrest of two ‘Maoist couriers’ – Muthu Nagaraju and Kommaraju Kanakaiah – by a routine patrolling team of Telangana Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on February 18. The duo was carrying 400 electrical detonators, 500 non-electrical detonators, 400 gelatin sticks and 549 metres of fuse wire in bags and was heading towards a forest in Chhattisgarh when they were caught. “During interrogation, they disclosed that they are sympathisers of CPI (Maoists) and were instructed by Hidma to collect the explosives,” an officer said, preferring anonymity.

According to details accessed by HT, Hidma, who operates from Bastar region, is named as accused in the NIA First Information Report (FIR), registered last week under The Explosives Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and charged with criminal conspiracy.

Former CRPF DG K Durga Prasad said: “Hidma is basically the muscle-power of Jantana Sarkar of Maoists. The administration’s lack of planning and understanding of the terrain and needs of villagers is the reason why Hidma is more successful than us in the jungles.”