Top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma and his wife were among the six Maoists killed in an encounter with security personnel in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitaramaraju district on Tuesday, police said. The death of Hidma, an alleged mastermind of several attacks, was described by Chhattisgarh police as the “last nail in the coffin” of the insurgency.

District SP Amit Bardar said the encounter happened between 6.30 am and 7 am in the forested area of Maredumilli mandal. “Today morning, between 6.30 am and 7.00 am, an exchange of fire occurred between Maoists and the police in the Maredumilli Mandal area. During the encounter, six Maoists were neutralised,” an official press release said.