Angul, June 15: Communication has become an Achilles heel for seven cops as Purunakote police station in the Satkosia tiger reserve, around 60km from the district headquarters town, still struggles to establish contact with the outside world.

Neither the VHF (very high frequency) radio sets nor the WLL (wireless local loop) phone work most of the time. It is yet to get a satellite phone despite demands. “Though we have VHF and WLL phone, they don’t work here because of the topography. We need a satellite phone. I got the news of my uncle’s death after three days,” said Bhagaban Sahu, officer in charge of Purunakote police station, which traces its history to the days of the British Raj.

Situated on a four-acre patch inside the tiger reserve, the police station caters to around 82 villages scattered over 178sqkm with a total population of 30,000. But, it hardly gets a case a week because of the largely peaceful nature of the residents.

The policemen confine themselves to the four walls of the police station once the sun sets, apprehending attack from wild animals. “Wild animals, including elephants, used to enter the station premises and create havoc. It has stopped since the past one year,” said Bishnu Charan Samal, the home guard posted at the police station.

The police station has been fenced with barbed wires to prevent wild animals from sneaking into the premises. The old buildings are dilapidated and a new building has come up.

Though a one-lane concrete road connects the police station to the outer world, one has to pass through a frisking point to enter the area through a forest check-gate located at Pampasara, nearly 20km from the police station. Nearly 220km away from Bhubaneswar, the police station is located in the foothills of Satkosia.

No one appears to know the history of establishment of the police station. However, there are various views on why the British had set up the police station inside a sanctuary. “We have seen the police station since our childhood. My grandfather used to threaten me that he would take me to the police station if I misbehaved. I have little idea when it was set up,” says 88-year-old Digambara Sahu, a resident of Tikarapada village, located on the banks of the Mahanadi river at Satkoshia. Here the Mahanadi river meanders through a stretch of 22km with hills on both sides.

Sahu does not treat his posting as a punishment. “Being in touch with innocent people, who are yet to see the light of development, has a charm of its own,” he said.