Top Maoist chief Kunjam Hidma arrested in Odishas Koraput, arms recovered

In a major breakthrough within the ongoing anti-Maoist operations in #Odisha, safety forces have arrested a dreaded Maoist chief, Kunjam Hidma, from the dense Petaguda forests of #Koraput district. The arrest, made after an alternate of fireside, is being described as a significant blow to the outlawed CPI (Maoist) outfit.

#Koraput Superintendent of Police Rohit Verma mentioned that the operation was launched late on May 28 after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of Maoist cadres close to the Bypassguda space underneath Baipariguda police limits. A joint group of the #District Voluntary Force (DVF), led by Jeypore SDPO Parth Kashyap, was deployed for the mission.

“In the early hours of Thursday, our team spotted Maoists camped on a hilltop. When the forces moved in, the Maoists opened fire and fled into the jungle. The team responded with controlled fire in self-defence,” mentioned SP Verma.

During a subsequent search, one Maoist cadre was discovered hiding in close by bushes and was taken into custody. He was later recognized as Kunjam Hidma, a resident of Bijepur in #Chhattisgarh and an Area Committee Member (ACM) of the banned CPI (Maoist).

Arms and ammunition recovered

Police recovered a big cache of arms and ammunition from the spot, together with an AK-47 assault rifle, suggesting Hidma might have been making ready for a significant operation.

Hidma is reportedly concerned in a minimum of seven main violent incidents in #Odisha and can be suspected to have operated throughout Andhra Pradesh and #Chhattisgarh, collaborating in a number of anti-national and anti-government actions. His arrest is seen as a significant dent to the Maoist community working within the tri-junction area of the three states.

The police have begun interrogation to extract additional details about his associates, arms dumps, and hideouts. “This arrest will significantly help weaken the Maoist presence in the region,” the SP mentioned.