Amid a series of encounters with Maoists, focus on two most wanted
Deva and Hidma are the top two Maoist commanders, and, on January 16, they were cornered by security forces in South Bastar, but managed to escape
In the first 24 days this year, security forces in Chhattisgarh have killed at least 47 Maoists, but security forces engaged in an intense campaign against the insurgents ahead of the deadline of March 31, 2026, by when the home minister has vowed to end so-called Left Wing Extremism (LWE), are primary focused on two men, Barse Deva and Hidma.

Deva and Hidma are the top two Maoist commanders, and, on January 16, they were cornered by security forces in South Bastar, but managed to escape. Still, the very fact that they are in the line of fire has brought some cheer to security officials.
“In the past one and a half years, Deva and Hidma have managed to escape at least four times by putting their junior cadres in the front. But the fact that they are coming face to face with security forces in gunbattles now also means their strength is depleting. Otherwise, Deva and Hidma are commanders who have a three-layer security cordon with teams named A, B and C, whenever they move around,” said a CRPF official, who asked not to be named.
Security forces have intensified their campaign against the Maoists. In 2024, they killed 250 and arrested 812 (another 723 surrendered). Thus far this year, 47 Maoists have been killed, including 16 between January 20-21 in a gunfight at Gariaband. To be sure, there’s been a cost: in 2024, at least 17 personnel and 60 civilians were killed by Maoists. Thus far this year, Maoists have killed at least nine security personnel.
But the toll on Maoists has been significant. According to Chhattisgarh police officials, there are now not more than 600 full time armed cadres living in the jungles.
Among them are Deva and Hidma, whose name figures on the most-wanted list of every security force operating in the area: CRPF, ITBP and BSF.
Hidma and Deva were both residents of Puvarti village in Sukma , a village that was controlled by Maoists for almost four decades until a camp was set up by the police and CRPF in the area in February last year. Deva is now the commander of Maoist army’s most powerful battalion number 1, a post that Hidma held until sometime last year, before being promoted to rank of central committee member. The two have been together and planned all major attacks such as Darbha Ghati attack on May 25, 2013 when Maoists ambushed a convoy of the Congress party, killing 27 people including 10 security personnel and the infamous April 2021 attack when 22 security personnel were killed in ambush in Sukma-Bijapur.
Deva carries a reward of ₹25 lakh while Hidma has a bounty of ₹40 lakh on his head. This is just the reward announced by the Chhattisgarh police. Police officials said that other state forces too have similar rewards for their arrest, making them the most valuable catch, financially and militarily.
“Getting the two men will be a morale booster for the forces. They have been involved in all major attacks against the forces. They are the ones planning the attacks against the forces, refusing to surrender, trying to get more cadres, and threatening villagers. Getting Hidma and Deva will significantly weaken the Naxals in the jungles,” said P Sundarraj, inspector general of the Bastar Range, who is leading the joint operations against Maoists.
Sunderraj added: “These people have security cordons around them. All these years, they would put up local junior cadres and run at the time of attack. But the fact that they are coming face to face with forces means two things – maybe local cadres are no longer willing to risk their lives to protect them. Secondly, Hidma and Deva want to motivate their cadres by coming to the front and attacking the forces.”
Surrendered militants have told security officials that Hidma has around 40-50 armed cadres, divided into teams named A,B, and C, protecting him. “Hidma lives in a separate tent and his food is also prepared separately. Each cordon has 12-16 armed men and women. Until last year, he mostly spent time in strategy, reading books, and was involved only in major attacks. But this is changing. He and his lieutenant Deva are now forced to come to the open and face the forces repeatedly. It is a matter of time and luck now (before they are caught or killed),” a mid-level officer from BSF said, on condition of anonymity.
On January 17, after a day-long gunfight in South Bastar Division of CPI (Maoist) in the Pamgarh-Basaguda-Usur jungles, the forces thought they had got the two men. During a search that lasted several hours, bodies of 12 Maoists were found in different parts of the jungles.
Among them was Tamu Hungi, 27, a battalion 1 cadre with reward of ₹8 lakh on his head. But it wasn’t clear whether any of the other bodies were of Hidma or Deva. There are no current photographs of the two men.
“The only way to identify these two men is to ask surrendered Naxal cadres(or those who have joined Chhattisgarh district reserve guard), who have seen the two men or have been part of the security cordon. Hidma and Deva are careful and do not speak to the local cadres or get their photos taken,” the BSF officer said.
In February 2024, when security forces finally breached Puvarti village, the first thing that top officers asked families was if they had photographs of the two men. There was none. Most families, including Hidma’s mother, claimed said they had not seen the two men in several years. Over 500 CRPF and police officers now guard the village where a field hospital has been opened. The first person who was medically examined by a government doctor was Hidma’s mother. Puvarti has now become a base for the forces to launch operations deeper inside the once forbidden areas. Last month, the Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA), installed solar-powered appliances such as lights, fans and a television set in the village.
Retired IPS officer, K Durga Prasad, who served as the chief of SPG (2011-2014) and CRPF (2016-2017) said getting Hidma and Deva will be a big moral win for the forces and will dent a blow to Maoists.
“Hidma is notorious for tactical warfare and attacks on security forces. Deva is from battalion 1, the most aggressive battalion among the Naxals. The pace at which the security forces are neutralising Naxals, both in encounters and surrenders , the battle will soon be won. I am not sure if Hidma and Deva are able to operate at the same pace and scale at which they once did... It will be good to get the two top Maoists but even without that, the results on the ground are positive.”
A district magistrate, who asked not to be named, said it was clear that the Maoists are losing. “Hidma and Deva will soon be captured. We are developing Puvarti and showcasing it to the country, but especially to the Naxals themselves. If Hidma and Deva could not even protect their own village, how can they protect the junior cadres, who are taking the bullets for them?”
