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Bastar to Pune: How ‘O Re Bandook Wale’ viral song ‘glorifying’ Maoist leader Hidma sparked controversy

On April 15, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against students for dancing to the song during a cultural event at a government run boys' hostel in Pune city.

5 min readUpdated: Apr 27, 2026 09:55 PM IST

Maoist leader Madi Hidma. (Special Arrangement/ Image enhanced using AI)

In the recent past, two incidents where a song, titled O Re Bandook Wale — which allegedly glorifies top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was killed by the police in Andhra Pradesh in November last year — has stirred controversy.

On April 15, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against students for dancing to the song during a cultural event at a government run boys’ hostel in Pune city.

On February 10, a large group was seen dancing to the same song at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on the occasion of Bhumkal Divas, which marks the historic tribal uprising of 1910 against British rule.

Video grab of dance. (Special Arrangement)

Shalab Kumar Sinha, Superintendent of Police (SP), Jagdalpur said, “We summoned several people. No FIR was lodged, but preventive action was taken against those who circulated links of the objectionable song praising Hidma on social media. We do not know the source of this song yet.”

When The Indian Express visited Hidma’s native place of Puvarti, a remote village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, people said they are aware of the song and that it has gained popularity.
Madvi relative, Madkam Hidma said, “We know the song, but do not think any local tribal people composed it.”

Old village information plaque in Puvarti. (Express Photo)

“The song (has gone) viral for the last few months. We do not think much about it. We have our work to do and hope to see development in our region. Construction of the road connecting our village is underway…,” said Puvarti resident Deva Madavi.

A villager also said, “There are people who believe Hidma was wrongly projected as a dreaded killer, whereas it was Papa Rao (top ranking Maoist who surrendered last month), who actually left the region terrified by his brutality against many innocents. Some locals may listen to the song about Hidma, but not to support the Naxal movement. The song became popular because of its rhythm.”

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Dr Saiyad Farook Ali, a well-known anti-Naxal activist from Sukma, issued a statement to ban the song after he noticed people dancing to it in Jagdalpur.

“Hidma was a Maoist leader who masterminded multiple attacks causing the deaths of several police personnel and civilians. So I asked the government to take legal action against anybody organising public programmes or dances and songs in support of Hidma. But then I received a huge number of negative responses over social media from different parts of the country. There are some elements who want to show Hidma as a messiah of tribals and are even comparing him with freedom fighter Birsa Munda,” Ali said.

Kiran Chavan, SP, Sukma, said, “Attempts are underway to identify the people who created the song on Hidma and first posted it on the internet.”

Police suspect the song is composed by persons from Telangana or Andhra Pradesh. One of the YouTube links, where the song is visible, credits “Kaala Tv”, with a notice that it attempts to present the struggle of tribals against injustice, but “does not aim to support or encourage any ideology”.
In Pune, during a cultural gathering on April 11 held at the premises of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Government Hostel in Vishrantwadi to mark the 135th Ambedkar Jayanti, a group of nine students danced to the song that allegedly glorified Hidma.

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A video of the event went viral and an offence was lodged against two students — who were natives of Gadchiroli district pursuing BBA at a college in Pune city — and others under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 197 (1) (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 351 (1) (statements causing public mischief causing disregard to any soldier), 3 (5) (constructive liability for acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention).

The students told the police and media persons that they were not aware Hidma was a Naxal leader and had chosen the song only because it was “famous in Vidarbha region” and has “nice beats”.
However, the FIR alleged that the two accused students and others had allegedly in an attempt to hamper “the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India, presented misleading content and danced to a song based on “dangerous Naxalite Hidma, during a cultural event at the hostel”.

Police have not arrested the students. An investigation of the case was handed over to the crime branch of Pune police. A senior crime branch officer said, “We are probing the YouTube links displaying the song… but have not reached any conclusion. Statements of the accused students have been recorded. Further investigation is on.”

Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad staged a protest against the Pune police saying it was malicious to file an FIR against tribal students just for dancing to a song that was not banned and was easily available on the internet.

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A police officer said, “At the cultural event in Pune, the background was ‘Save Trees’, but the students danced to a song about Maoist Hidma, commander of Battalion 1 of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) of the banned CPI-Maoist. In November last year, a few days after Hidma was killed, some young activists raised slogans in his favour during a protest against air pollution at the India Gate in Delhi. It is suspicious and unacceptable that a Maoist leader is being lauded while raising concerns on issues of pollution and environment.”

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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