Andhra Pradesh police arrested 50 CPI (Maoists) cadres on Tuesday in a major operation spanning five districts. The action followed the encounter death of top commander Madvi Hidma and five associates in Alluri Seetharam Raju district on Monday. Officials described the raids as a decisive strike against fleeing insurgents. The operation netted weapons and cash, signalling intensified efforts to curb Maoist influence.
This crackdown underscores the fragility of Maoist operations in India’s south, where cross-state networks fuel unrest. In South Asia, such actions weaken insurgent logistics and bolster state control over forested borders shared with neighbours like Nepal and Bangladesh, reducing spillover risks to regional stability.
Major Maoist Crackdown Andhra Pradesh Unfolds
Security forces moved swiftly after the Maredumilli encounter. Intelligence units tracked Maoist movements from Chhattisgarh into Andhra Pradesh. Cadres had scattered to urban hideouts, posing as labourers. The Andhra Pradesh arrests 50 Maoists targeted special zonal committee members. Three such leaders fell into custody. Several divisional committee figures joined them. Area committees and regular party members rounded out the group.
Raids hit Krishna district hardest, with 28 detentions. Eluru saw 15 arrests. NTR district recorded five. Kakinada and Konaseema each yielded two and one respectively. Vijayawada city police aided in urban sweeps. ADGP Intelligence Mahesh Chandra Laddha led the briefing. “Following Hidma’s killing, we launched coordinated intelligence-driven operations across five districts and apprehended 50 CPI (Maoist) cadres,” he said.
Teams from the State Intelligence Department joined forces. The Special Investigation Branch (SIB) coordinated urban actions. District police units covered rural flanks. Vijayawada Commissionerate handled city probes.
Many arrested hailed from south Bastar-Dandakaranya region. They fled Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, and West Bastar districts in Chhattisgarh. Pressure from security forces there drove the exodus.
Weapons and Assets Seized in Raids
Police recovered 39 weapons during the major Maoist crackdown Andhra Pradesh wide. The haul included 302 rounds of ammunition. Detonators and cordtex wire surfaced in searches. Communication devices aided tracking. Officers also seized ₹13 lakh in cash. Funds likely supported logistics. No explosives detonated during arrests.
SIB chief PHD Ramakrishna praised the execution. “The entire operation was executed with silent precision, ensuring no cadre escaped and no civilian was harmed,” he stated. This precision reflects years of training. Greyhounds, the elite anti-Naxal unit, provided intel support. OCTOPUS teams executed some detentions, per reports.
CPI Maoists Arrested Madvi Hidma Associates
Madvi Hidma commanded the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army’s Bhijapur division. His death marked a high-profile loss. Bounty stood at ₹50 lakh on his head. Hidma orchestrated at least 26 attacks on forces. Incidents spanned Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh borders. His associates now face charges under anti-terror laws. Of the 50, 27 belonged to Hidma’s battalion. Women formed a large share, with 21 among Vijayawada detainees. They sheltered in a two-storey building.
The Andhra Pradesh arrests 50 Maoists disrupted supply lines. Maoists relied on Andhra for urban funding and recruits. Chhattisgarh operations pushed them south. Interrogations continue. Cadres face Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act charges. Courts will process cases soon.
Links to Broader India Anti-Naxal Operations Andhra 2025
This fits into India anti-Naxal operations Andhra 2025. Central forces ramped up border patrols. Andhra Pradesh integrated with Chhattisgarh intel-sharing.
In 2025, forces neutralised 150 Maoists nationwide by November. Arrests topped 400. Surrenders reached 300, per security data. Andhra Pradesh contributed 20 per cent of southern arrests. Operations focused on Eastern Ghats forests. Urban migration by cadres complicated tracking.
The major Maoist crackdown Andhra Pradesh aligns with national goals. Home Ministry directives emphasise joint raids. Andhra Pradesh formed task forces in July. Previous sweeps in June netted 15 cadres in Visakhapatnam. July actions in East Godavari yielded explosives. November’s scale dwarfs those.
Background: Maoist Presence in Andhra Pradesh
CPI (Maoist) entered Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s. Roots trace to Telangana armed struggle. Insurgents sought rural strongholds. By 2000, Dandakaranya became a hub. Andhra Pradesh served as a corridor. Urban cells funded arms via extortion. Peak violence hit in 2005-2010. Encounters claimed hundreds. Greyhounds pioneered commando tactics.
Decline set in post-2014. Surrenders accelerated. Development schemes eroded support. Yet, pockets persist. Alluri Seetharam Raju remains volatile. CPI Maoists arrested Madvi Hidma associates highlight residual threats. Cross-border ties link to Odisha and Telangana. India anti-Naxal operations Andhra 2025 aim to seal these. Data shows Maoist-affected districts dropped to 38 in 2025 from 90 in 2010. Andhra Pradesh exited the list in 2018 but faces spillovers.
Impact on Regional Security
The Andhra Pradesh arrests 50 Maoists weaken command structures. Zonal leaders gone hampers planning. Networks between states fracture. Local communities benefit. Raids avoided civilian areas. No collateral reported. Economically, forests open for mining and tourism. Insurgent taxes stifled growth. In South Asia, this curbs ideological exports. Maoist literature influences Nepal’s fringes. Stable India aids subcontinental peace.
What’s Next for Anti-Naxal Drive
More raids loom. Intelligence sifts leads from detainees. Chhattisgarh coordinates follow-ups. Surrender policies offer amnesty. Rehabilitation centres prepare for inflows. Home Ministry eyes 2026 as near-zero violence year. Andhra Pradesh targets full integration.
The major Maoist crackdown Andhra Pradesh sets a template. Forces plan similar sweeps in Telangana. This forward momentum promises sustained pressure on remnants. The Andhra Pradesh arrests 50 Maoists cap a pivotal week. Security gains build on encounter successes. Insurgency faces further erosion.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, November 19th, 2025
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