HM Amit Shah To Visit Chhattisgarh After Hidma’s Killing; Reviews Intensify

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will travel to Chhattisgarh next week to intensify the Centre’s push against Maoist extremism, marking his first visit to the region since the killing of top Maoist leader Madvi Hidma.

Officials confirmed on Tuesday that Shah’s visit will centre on a comprehensive review of anti-Maoist operations as the government advances toward its goal of eliminating Left-Wing Extremism by March 31, 2026.

HM Shah will attend the Bastar Olympics on December 13, a major cultural-sporting event in the region.

On the sidelines, he will hold high-level meetings with security officials to assess recent breakthroughs, ongoing operations, and the final phase of the anti-Maoist action plan. His schedule also includes interactions with security teams who played key roles in recent tactical successes.

Hidma’s death on November 18 dealt one of the most significant blows to the Maoist network in years.

The Maoist commander, long considered the mastermind behind major attacks across central India, fell in a fierce gun battle with security forces in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharamaraju district, near the Andhra-Odisha border.

His wife Raje and four armed Maoists accompanying him were also killed during the encounter in the Maredumilli forest.

Focus on Maoist Eradication

Following the operation, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) reaffirmed its commitment to HM Shah’s directive of eradicating Maoist influence well before the March 2026 deadline.

CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh underscored this resolve during his November 21 visit to Tadapala, a newly-established Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the dense Bastar forests.

The Tadapala base represents a strategic triumph for the forces.

Set up after the landmark Operation Black Forest, the FOB signals the security establishment’s year-round dominance in what was once one of the most inaccessible Maoist zones, the rugged Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

Operation Black Forest, conducted from April to May 2025, reshaped the security landscape in the region.

The 21-day offensive neutralised 31 Maoists, dismantled over 200 underground hideouts and natural caves, and triggered mass surrenders and desertions within core Maoist ranks.

The mission’s success marked a defining shift in the decades-long battle against extremism.

During his field review, DG Singh commended the operational synergy between CRPF’s elite 205 CoBRA unit and the 196 Battalion, calling their coordination crucial in reclaiming the Karreguttalu stronghold.

“We have cleared the core zones. With permanent bases like Tadapala, we now dominate the terrain throughout the year,” he reportedly said.

Home Minister Amit Shah’s upcoming visit is expected to accelerate operational consolidation, boost troop morale, and prepare the ground for the final phase of India’s most decisive anti-Maoist campaign.

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