The intelligence input about the presence of the most wanted Maoist leader Hidma in the area, it seems, was a well-laid out trap. The Maoists, armed to teeth with light machine guns, were waiting in the foliage and caught the special forces off guard. The fierce gun battle that ensued continued for over three hours.
Hidma, the man behind the massacre, is a tribal and around 40 years old. He leads a pack of 180 to 250 Maoist fighters and is known for his lethal ambushes, a report in a news portal said.
For the record, he heads the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Battalion number one. He is also the youngest member of the CPI (Maoists) supreme 21-membered ‘central committee.’ There is a reward of Rs 40 Lakh on his head.
