Odisha and Andhra Pradesh police clash over Kotia village dispute
Police from both states engaged in a scuffle at the border during a dispute over jurisdictional claims in Koraput district.
Police personnel from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh engaged in a scuffle at the inter-State border on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while asserting jurisdictional claims over the Kotia group of villages in Odisha’s Koraput district, according to The Hindu.
The confrontation occurred around 10:00 a.m. when Andhra Pradesh officials and security personnel attempted to enter Kotia via the border village of Neredibalasa. Odisha police stopped the group by erecting barricades.
The tension stems from upcoming elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) on November 5, which Andhra Pradesh intends to conduct in the Kotia region. Andhra Pradesh officials argued they have the right to hold elections there as the area belongs to their state.
Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari alleged that Andhra Pradesh is attempting to create a constitutional crisis by holding elections within Odisha’s jurisdiction. He claimed the state has filed a fresh contempt petition in the Supreme Court, stating the election notification violates a 2006 order to maintain status quo.
Koraput District Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, across all 21 villages of the Kotia gram panchayat. Koraput Sub-Collector Fabi Rasheed said seven platoons of police and nine executive magistrates have been deployed to protect territorial integrity.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) blamed the Union government for the situation, with spokesperson Lenin Mohanty likening the border tussle to the India-Pakistan border.