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Police in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district have registered a case against five tribal youths after a video allegedly showed young men and women dancing to a song praising slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma during a wedding ceremony in a village in Etapalli taluka.

The case was registered after a video clip from the event circulated on social media, police sources said. The incident marks the first such case reported from Gadchiroli, a district that the Centre and Maharashtra government recently declared “Naxal-free”.

According to police, the wedding function was held on 6 May at the residence of Sandeep Hichami in Krishnar village. During the night, several youths were dancing to songs played on a DJ system. Around 11:45 pm, Police Inspector Machhindra Nagargoje and a patrolling team allegedly reached the village after hearing loud music and instructed organisers to stop the DJ as the permitted time limit had passed.

Police sources said that on the following day, a constable identified as Roshan Puram received a video clip through social media showing around 40–50 youths dancing to a song containing references to Hidma. The police subsequently began an inquiry into the incident.

During questioning, Sandeep Hichami reportedly told police that the DJ system had been hired from Shankar Hichami for the wedding ceremony and that traditional tribal dances were being performed. He allegedly stated that he was inside the house for some time and did not know who played the Hidma-related song. Police said the DJ operators were identified as Aryan Hichami and Sharad Kando.

According to the police inquiry, a man identified as Baburao Kando allegedly made provocative remarks against the police administration during the event. Police claimed he questioned the police presence in the tribal village and allegedly praised Maoists and Hidma before insisting that the DJ operator play the song. Another accused, Chaitu Telami, allegedly provided the song to the DJ operators.

Based on a complaint filed by constable Roshan Puram, Etapalli Police registered an FIR against Shankar Hichami, Baburao Kando, Chaitu Telami, Aryan Hichami and Sharad Kando under various provisions of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and the Mumbai Police Act. The investigation is being conducted by Woman Police Sub-Inspector Pratiksha Wanve under the supervision of Police Inspector Nagargoje.

The incident comes weeks after a similar case was registered in Pune in April, where two tribal students from Gadchiroli were booked after allegedly dancing to a Hidma-related song during a programme organised on the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.

The development has renewed debate in the region over tribal identity, cultural expression and the state’s approach towards Maoist-linked symbolism in districts historically affected by Left Wing Extremism.

Gadchiroli has long been one of Maharashtra’s most Maoist-affected districts. While the Centre and the state government recently claimed the district had become free from Naxal influence, security records still indicate the presence of some active Maoist cadres in the region.

The district is also witnessing rapid industrial expansion, with the Maharashtra government planning large-scale steel and mining investments reportedly worth around Rs 50,000 crore.