The border village cluster of Kotia in Odisha’s Koraput district has been placed on high alert as local police step up security measures in response to escalating tensions and upcoming electoral activities across the border in Andhra Pradesh.
Koraput Police have established strict nakabandi (checkpoints) and deployed temporary police tents across six highly sensitive border villages: Neradivalsa, Tadivalsa, Aruzubalsa, Upar Sambi, Fagunsuneri, and Fatusuneri. Armed with heavy vigilance, deployed officers and personnel are keeping a meticulous eye on every movement, aiming to curb potential unauthorised infiltration, manage local law and order, and monitor cross-border political activities.
The security crackdown comes right on the heels of intense electioneering by Andhra Pradesh political parties. With Andhra’s panchayat elections scheduled for the 3rd of the month, candidates from major political outfits, including the TDP and YSR Congress, have ramped up aggressive campaigns inside the disputed region to sway local voters. This aggressive political encroachment has reignited the long-standing inter-state border dispute, creating a palpable atmosphere of tension between the two state administrations.
Authorities on the Odisha side remain fully mobilised to ensure that peace is preserved and state sovereignty is strictly protected as the electoral showdown unfolds.
