Hunt for top Naxal in Andhra jungles

The security agencies have managed to track top Naxal commander Mandvi Hidma, who is said to be the mastermind behind the brutal killing of 22 CRPF commandos in Chhattisgarh, to the dense jungles of Andhra Pradesh, where he is believed to have crossed over after the April 3 attack. Massive aerial surveillance has been mounted using helicopters and drones to keep a watch on the entire region with thick jungles close to the Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana borders.

Union home minister Amit Shah has given a clear directive to the forces that strict action should be taken against those responsible for the killing of the 22 commandos in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Saturday. After this, the security forces launched a massive hunt for Hidma, who is the key Naxal commander who planned this entire operation.

A massive aerial surveillance was launched in the Bastar region too with helicopters and drones. The information gathered through this aerial surveillance was shared with the security forces on the ground. Sources claimed they

have concrete information that immediately after the CRPF attack, Hidma left the Bastar region and moved to the dense forest areas close to the Chhattisgar-Andhra-Telangana borders. The problem that the security forces are now facing is that due to thick growth in the forest neither drones nor helicopters can be used for “hot pursuit” of Hidma and some of this close associates.

“We have a fairly good idea of where Hidma could be hiding. But we are waiting for some more concrete information to confirm this through our human intelligence network. This is to ensure our security personnel don’t fall into a false information trap. Once more concrete information and intelligence is received from our ground sources, an unprecedented operation will be launched,” a top CRPF official told this newspaper from Raipur.