NAXAL COMMANDER HIDMA BEHIND DEADLY SUKMA ATTACK

Naxal commander has led many operations in Bastar

CPM’s battalion number one commander Hidma is said to be behind Monday’s attack on the CRPF party at Burkapal in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Sukma in which 25 jawans were killed and a dozen others injured, intelligence sources said.

Hidma, a homegrown Maoist currently heading the Maoists’ first battalion which is deployed in the Sukma-Bijapur region in south Bastar.

The 25 five-year-old Hidma had led many major operations against the security forces in Bastar.

He was also involved in May 25, 2013 Jeeram Ghati Naxal ambush on the Congress convoy in which 32 people including 27 Congress men were killed.

“He has proved elusive to police so far. He has escaped many times in close encounters with security forces in past five years,” a senior police officer posted in Bastar said.

Meanwhile, politicians from all parties condemned the attack.

“Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured (sic),” President Pranab Mukherjee said in a tweet.

Reacting to the attack, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday said he was “extremely distressed” over the Naxal attack in his state that killed at least 24 CRPF personnel, and cut short his Delhi visit.

“I am extremely distressed to know about the Naxal attack in Sukma. I am cancelling my Delhi tour and returning to Chhattisgarh to attend a meeting (on the attack),” he wrote on Twitter.

Condemning the naxal attack, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi said such “thoughtless violence” will never succeed in weakening the resolve to fight extremist forces.

The party also demanded that the Narendra Modi government take immediate and strong action against the forces behind the incident.

Describing the attack as “mindless and ruthless strike on our security forces,” Sonia Gandhi said the sacrifice of 24 brave men was a big loss to the nation.

“Such attacks will never deter the fight against extremism,” she said.

We have taken the attack as a challenge. It is an unfortunate incident. My tribute to the martyrs and condolences to their families — RAJNATH SINGH, Home Minister