Another letter from Maoists on Hidma encounter

A sensational letter, released in the name of Vikalp, spokes person of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, has raised serious allegations regarding the reported encounter of Maoist leader Hidma. The committee asserted that the incident was not an encounter at all but a custodial killing.

According to the letter, Hidma and fellow cadre Shankar were unwell and were reportedly heading to Vijayawada for medical treatment when Andhra Pradesh Police intercepted and arrested them. The Maoists allege that the arrest was made possible with the help of certain timber traders from Andhra Pradesh, accusing them of betraying the duo by providing information to the police.

The statement further claims that both cadres were subjected to severe torture for nearly a week and were later killed, after which the incident was projected as an encounter to mislead the public.

The Maoists demanded a full and independent investigation into the deaths of both Hidma and Shankar.

Meanwhile, it may be recalled that two major encounters took place in November in the Maredumilli forest region of Alluri Sitarama Raju district.
The November 18 encounter resulted in the deaths of Hidma, his wife, and several associates, while the November 19 encounter led to the killing of Shankar and six others. In total, 13 Maoists died in the two incidents.

Following the encounters, information recovered from a diary at the site led police to conduct searches across multiple districts in Andhra Pradesh, resulting in around 50 arrests.