Most-wanted Maoist commander Barse Deva, Hidma’s ruthless lieutenant, surrenders in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Barse Deva alias Barsa Sukka, one of the most-wanted Maoist commanders and a close aide of recently gunned-down Madvi Hidma, surrendered before the Telangana Police on Friday.Deva, head of the dreaded PLGA Battalion 1, laid down arms before Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy.A native of Puvarti village in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh — the same village as Hidma — Deva has long been considered one of the closest aides of the Maoist leader. Hidma was killed in an encounter between security forces and Maoists in the Maredumilli forest area of Alluri Sitarama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh on November 18.Deva’s surrender is being seen as a significant blow to the Maoist network, which has been under growing pressure from intensified anti-Naxal operations, resistance from younger cadres, and confusion within the organisation over strategy and policy.Last month, Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister and home minister Vijay Sharma met the families and mothers of both Hidma and Deva in Puvarti. After Hidma’s encounter, Sharma had appealed to Deva to return, saying: “Hidma didn’t pay heed to his mother’s call to return or give up violence and was killed. Deva, there’s still time. You and anyone coming with you will be treated respectfully.”The message was widely seen as a clear signal that Deva should opt for rehabilitation.Officials said Deva, currently a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, was involved in several ambushes attributed to Hidma.Meanwhile, a day earlier, a Naxalite carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 was killed in an encounter with security forces in Bihar’s Begusarai district on January 1.He was identified as Dayanand Malakar, secretary of the North Bihar Central Zonal Committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist). Two of his associates were arrested.