Andhra Pradesh cops patrol Odisha's Koraput villages

The Andhra Pradesh government has intensified police patrolling in Kotia panchayat under Pottangi block for last two days without the district administration getting a whiff of it.
Andhra Pradesh Police checking vehicles at Neradivalsa village in Kotia. (Photo | EPS)
Andhra Pradesh Police checking vehicles at Neradivalsa village in Kotia. (Photo | EPS)

JEYPORE: Continuing its cross-border overtures in Odisha’s Koraput district, the Andhra Pradesh government has intensified police patrolling in Kotia panchayat under Pottangi block for last two days without the district administration getting a whiff of it.

Sources said, around 12 policemen are on duty in the disputed area since Thursday. Apart from erecting barricades and a checkpost at Neradivalsa, the police team is reportedly patrolling adjoining Handigimandi, Salpaguda and Dhulipadar villages and checking vehicles that are crossing the border.

According to local residents, many of them have been quizzed by the AP cops during entry and exit from Kotia.The intensified patrolling has raised many an eyebrow as it comes at a time when both the states are trying to find an amicable solution to the border dispute.

Incidentally, Pottangi MLA Pitam Padhi and his party members had a faceoff with some AP officials who had come to Kotia for a proposed power plant survey two days back. Koraput Collector Md Abdaal Akhtar too had recently visited the panchayat to oversee development works. Usually, Odisha Police are deployed in Kotia round the year to check unlawful activities in the disputed areas.

It is being speculated that AP police may further intensify patrolling in the upcoming days due to the power project being mooted by the neighbouring state in Neradivalsa.

The project, sources said, has been taken up by AP government in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services to harness power from perennial water sources in Kotia.

Surprisingly, AP activities are only increasing in the region despite various socio-economic development projects being carried out for the people of Kotia by the Odisha government.

On the other hand, none from the district administration could be contacted despite multiple attempts.

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