Dreaded Maoist leader Kunjam Hidma arrested in Koraput, AK-47 recovered

In a major breakthrough in anti-Maoist operations, the District Voluntary Force (DVF) arrested a top Maoist leader, Kunjam Hidma alias Mohan, during a combing operation near Petguda village under Boipariguda police limits in Odisha’s Koraput district on Thursday.

Acting on credible intelligence inputs about the movement of CPI (Maoist) cadres, a DVF team led by Jeypore Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Parth Kashyap and AC DIOC Dibya Prasad Parida launched the operation on the night of May 28.

As security forces closed in, the Maoists opened fire on the jawans before fleeing into the nearby forest. During the subsequent search operation, Hidma was apprehended while the rest managed to escape.

Who Is Kunjam Hidma?

Hidma is an Area Committee Member (ACM) of the banned CPI (Maoist) group, hailing from Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh. Authorities recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition from the site, including an AK-47 rifle, 35 rounds of live ammunition, various types of detonators, gunpowder, radios, and Maoist literature.

Interrogation revealed Hidma’s deep involvement in Maoist operations across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. He joined the Maoist ranks in 2007 at the age of 14 and rose through the ranks after receiving training. He has been linked to multiple exchange-of-fire incidents, including major encounters in Koraput and Malkangiri districts, and Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.

Police have also confirmed his involvement in seven major Maoist cases in Odisha, with four in Koraput and three in Malkangiri. Further investigations are underway to trace other operatives and verify his role in cross-border Maoist activities.