Hidma’s mother asks for son’s body; to reach village today, says IG

Raipur: Sitting in a mud house at the edge of Chhattisgarh's Puvarti village in Sukma district, Madvi Pojje, mother of top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, broke down when cops informed her that her son had been killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.

"I am old. I cannot bring my son's body back to the village. You get it here. Let me at least see his body," she told police on Wednesday, sobbing inconsolably.

Just weeks ago, she had appealed to her son to return home and lead a peaceful life with her.


Bastar range IG P Sundarraj told TOI that police have facilitated the family's travel to Andhra Pradesh to complete legal formalities and bring the body home.

The body is expected to reach Puvarti, Hidma's native village in Sukma district in Bastar, on Thursday.

"Family members have been sent. Local police there will help them complete the process. Hidma's identification is clear; DNA test will be needed only if the family refuses to identify the body," the IG said, adding that samples like fingerprints are being preserved as standard procedure.

Refuting the rumours of body of Hidma cremated in Andhra Pradesh, Sundarraj was categorical that the body would be treated with "basic humanity", but without any symbolism that could turn a wanted insurgent into a martyr figure.

"It should not look like a ‘shaheed' ceremony. Tribal customs do not require elaborate facilities. It will remain a community event, and basic dignity will be extended," he said.

Roon-Saun: How Bastar tribals mourn dead

As word of his death spread, Puvarti village slipped into an ancient rhythm of mourning to overcome the loss. Videos of Hidma's mother and family members emerged showing them mourning, holding their heads, and announcing through a sound called "roon-saun" — a piercing, rolling wail that carries from house to house.

Women, usually the first to respond, gathered around the family. Their wails rose in long, trembling notes before breaking into sobs. Each call seemed to address the dead directly, narrating memories, regrets, unfinished conversations.

Elders are believed to be talking to the departed soul — guiding it, persuading it to cross over peacefully and not linger around the living. It is in this cultural frame that Puvarti is preparing for the return of Hidma's body — not as a commander, but as a son of the soil, a relative said.



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