Andhra Police Set Up Temporary Checkpost in Disputed Kotia Region, Tension Rises Along Odisha Border

Koraput: Fresh tension has surfaced in the disputed Kotia region of Odisha’s Koraput district after Andhra Pradesh police allegedly set up a temporary checkpost at Uparasembi village under Kotia panchayat in Pottangi block.

Sources said police personnel from Andhra Pradesh’s Salur area arrived in the village on Saturday, interacted with residents and later installed a temporary tent along with a checkpost carrying Andhra Police signage. Reports indicate that the Andhra administration has included Uparasembi village under Parvathipuram Manyam district.

The move prompted immediate response from Odisha authorities. Koraput Sub-Collector Premlal Hial, Pottangi BDO Ramakrishna Nayak and Tahsildar Devendra Bahadur Singh Dharua visited the village to take stock of the situation.

The latest development comes amid a series of incidents in the Kotia region over the past few days. On Wednesday, Andhra authorities allegedly distributed solar panels in Uparasembi and Talasembi villages. The Pottangi administration later seized the panels and handed them over to Kotia police.

On Friday, an Andhra Pradesh mobile medical unit reportedly entered Kotia panchayat and organised a health camp. Odisha police and local officials intervened, stopped the programme and sent the medical team back.

Less than a day later, the temporary Andhra Police checkpost was set up at Uparasembi village, located around five kilometres from Kotia police station.

The repeated activities by both states have once again brought the long-pending Kotia border dispute into focus, with Odisha and Andhra Pradesh continuing to stake claim over the region and extend administrative services to villagers.