Kotia on edge as Odisha cops block Andhra police entry ahead of polls

Tension flared in the disputed Kotia border region as Andhra Pradesh police allegedly attempted to dismantle barricades erected by Odisha to prevent unauthorised entry and holding of panchayat elections. The incident led to a heated exchange between police forces, with Odisha deploying 16 platoons to maintain order. The decades-old dispute, involving 21 villages claimed by AP, is pending before the Supreme Court, and Odisha has filed a contempt petition against AP's move to hold rural polls.