NIA BEGINS PROBE AGAINST MAOIST LEADER MADAVI HIDMA

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a probe against Madavi Hidma, Commander of Battalion-i of People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), in connection with the seizure of a cache of explosive materials including 900 detonators, people familiar with the matter said.

Hidma is also suspected to have played a key role in last month’s U-shaped ambush on security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, in which 22 personnel were killed. The Bijapur case is being investigated by the Chhattisgarh police.

Officials cited above said they have booked Hidma, who also goes by names Hidmal and Iduma, in a matter related to arrest of two “Maoist couriers” – Muthu Nagaraju and Kommaraju Kanakaiah by a routine patrolling team of Telangana Police and CRPF on February 18.

The duo was carrying explosives towards Chhattisgarh. “They disclosed that they are sympathizers of CPI (Maoists) and had been instructed by Hidma to collect the explosives,” said an officer who didn’t want to be named.