PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Tension prevailed at the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) on Tuesday after a confrontation erupted between Odisha police and residents of the disputed Kotia region over restrictions pertaining to Andhra Pradesh’s local body elections.
According to reports, Odisha authorities set up a temporary check-post at Nerellavalasa village in Salur mandal to prevent the residents from participating in AP’s local elections.
The Odisha police had stopped a vehicle carrying PDS rice to Ganjaibhadra and surrounding villages in the disputed Kotia region on Monday.
The police refused to allow the vehicle to proceed, despite efforts by AP’s officials to resolve the matter. When AP police intervened on Tuesday afternoon, heated arguments took place, resulting in physical pushing and shoving between the two groups.
Enraged by Odisha’s continuous efforts to obstruct them from exercising their voting rights in AP’s local polls, the residents disputed Kotia region joined the confrontation with the Odisha police.
Andhra-Odisha standoff raises tensions in disputed area
Siding with the AP police, the villagers attempted to remove the makeshift check-post and barricades set up by Odisha authorities. Physical scuffles broke out between the Kotia residents and the Odisha police, with the locals raising slogans demanding the immediate withdrawal of force from the area.
This standoff heightened tensions in the long-disputed border region, where both AP and Odisha have been asserting administrative control.
Meanwhile, Odisha has deployed heavy security in the Kotia region, while local tribal communities have reiterated their intention to participate in the AP elections despite restrictions and heightened security measures. The situation remains tense, with authorities from both the States closely monitoring developments in the sensitive border villages.
Tribal communities keen to vote in panchayat polls
Odisha has deployed heavy security in the Kotia region, while local tribal communities have reiterated their intention to participate in the AP elections despite restrictions and heightened security measures. The situation remains tense, with authorities from both the States closely monitoring developments in the sensitive border villages