Seven More Maoists Including IED Expert Tech Shankar Killed in Andhra Pradesh Following Madvi Hidma's Encounter

Intelligence sources indicate several high-ranking Maoist leaders are believed to have been eliminated in the most recent firefight.

Seven additional Maoists, including prominent IED specialist Tech Shankar, were neutralized Wednesday during a confrontation in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharama Raju district. This operation occurred just one day following the death of top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was killed during an exchange of gunfire in Maredumilli village in the state.

The deceased militants have been identified as:

Metturi Joga Rao, also known as Tech Shankar, originating from Bathupuram in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam.

Jyothi, alias Saritha, previously served as guard commander for former Maoist leader Nambala Kesava Rao. Aged 32, he was from Burgulanka in Sukma district.

Suresh, also called Ramesh, previously operated in Jagargunda, Chhattisgarh.

Lokesh, known as Ganesh, formerly served as Jagargonda area militia commander.

Sainu, alias Vasu, previously functioned as Deputy Commander of Jagargonda.

Anitha and Shammi, who previously worked within the Jagargonda operations.

This latest encounter is part of one of Andhra Pradesh's most comprehensive and extended intelligence-driven anti-Maoist campaigns, during which State Police have detained 50 members of the prohibited CPI (Maoist) organization across Krishna, Eluru, NTR Vijayawada, Kakinada and Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema districts.

All 10 individuals captured belong to the banned South Bastar and Dandakaranya networks.

Those apprehended hold significant positions including Special Zonal Committee Members, Divisional and Area Committee leaders, logistics handlers, communication specialists, and armed platoon members, many with direct connections to senior Maoist strategist and Central Committee member Madvi Hidma.

These arrests followed the significant firefight near Uttaluru in Maredumilli mandal on Tuesday, where six Maoists, including Hidma, lost their lives.

"Following sustained intelligence that numerous Maoists had escaped from Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur and West Bastar after Hidma's elimination and were seeking refuge in Andhra Pradesh's urban areas, a coordinated operation was initiated," stated ADGP intelligence Mahesh Chandra Ladda.

He further explained that team commanders alongside District police units and the Vijayawada Commissionerate executed precise apprehensions across multiple districts, resulting in the capture of 50 operatives, including 3 Special Zonal Committee Members, 5 Divisional Committee Members, 19 Area Committee Members and 23 regular party members.

Significant items recovered from the detained individuals include 39 firearms, 302 rounds of ammunition, cordtex explosives, Maoist documentation, memory cards, and cash amounting to Rs 12.72 lakh.

Hidma's faction has been associated with numerous major attacks, including the 2010 Dantewada massacre that claimed 76 CRPF personnel, the 2013 Jhiram Ghati attack resulting in 27 casualties, the 2017 Sukma ambushes, and the 2021 Tarrem attack which killed 22 security personnel. At the time of his death, authorities had placed a bounty of over Rs 1 crore on Hidma.