Following reports that Andhra officials invaded Nereduvalasa hamlet under Kotia panchayat in Koraput district to hold a tribal fair, new tensions have emerged along the Odisha–Andhra Pradesh border. The event took place on Tuesday, the village's weekly market day, inside Odisha's claimed jurisdiction.
The Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) of Parvathipuram Manyam district reportedly staged the fair under the supervision of the ITDA Project Officer in Salur, Andhra Pradesh.
As part of the "Adivasi Mela," which was held to honour the birth anniversary of tribal freedom warrior Birsa Munda, officials from the Andhra administration are said to have arrived in the region and put up shops.

Andhra Promoted State Goods According to sources, stalls representing several Andhra tribal cooperative organisations were set up during the fair, offering and showcasing goods from the state's many districts.
According to reports, Andhra-made goods marketed as "quality products" were pushed to be purchased by locals. Operating under the Andhra Tribal Welfare Department, the GCC oversaw the logistics of the fair, including the setup of stalls within the Nereduvalasa market premises and the delivery of commodities.
Residents of the Bhatasahi panchayat region took notice of the fair, and a number of locals confirmed that Andhra officials were spotted interacting with people and handing out brochures. Despite taking place deep inside the border zone managed by Odisha, the activity was conducted under the pretext of promoting tribal welfare and self-help items.

The local government has not yet responded.
There was reportedly no coordination between the event and the local government in Odisha. According to sources, neither the Koraput district officials nor the Pottangi block administration made a public announcement or acknowledged Andhra's presence in the area. The gathering was reported to the local police, but there were no reports of a confrontation.
Notably, the interstate boundary dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh has long centred on Nereduvalasa, one of the villages under the contested Kotia panchayat. The panchayat, which consists of 21 villages, is under the administration of Odisha but is also claimed by Andhra, which has been holding administrative outreach programs, public events, and welfare activities on a regular basis.

Odisha has not yet made an official statement as of Wednesday on whether or not a protest or report had been filed regarding the Andhra event.