Andhra Pradesh police arrest 50 Maoists after Hidma encounter

In what officials described as a pin-point, silent and coordinated intelligence-led, multi-agency operation, the Andhra Pradesh police arrested 50 CPI (Maoist) cadres across Krishna, Eluru, NTR Vijayawada, Kakinada and Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema districts.

Andhra Pradesh ADG Intelligence Mahesh Kumar Ladda, who produced the arrested Maoists before the media in



Vijayawada on Wednesday, said the arrests delivered a major blow to the Maoists’ South Bastar and Dandakaranya networks.

Of them, 28 were from Bijapur district, 21 from Sukuma and one from Narayanpur district. Most were closely associated with Madivi Hidma, the PLGA first battalion commander, who was killed in an encounter on Tuesday. Hidma’s encounter led to the arrests.