Video of locals facing off with PLA in Ladakh comes to fore
The development comes at a time when India and China have been locked in border row along LAC in eastern Ladakh since May 2020
Jammu: Weeks after army chief General Manoj Pande described the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh as “stable but sensitive”, a new video has surfaced that shows Indian shepherds having heated arguments with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers in the Chushul sector.
HT has seen the video, which is believed to be shot on January 2.
Shared by the leader of the Opposition in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Leh and sitting councillor from Leh City, Tsering Namgyal, the 6.5-minute video shows how around six to eight PLA soldiers arrived in a combat vehicle and blew sirens in Taklung Chorok valley to scare away the shepherds and livestock.
“However, the shepherds put up a brave face and refused to leave the place and even pelted a few stones at the Chinese soldiers. The shepherds had heated arguments with the Chinese soldiers telling them clearly that the area belongs to India and they should go back,” said Namgyal.
The development comes at a time when India and China have been locked in border row along LAC in eastern Ladakh since May 2020.
Indian and Chinese soldiers have thus far disengaged from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15). However, both armies still have tens of thousands of troops each and advanced weaponry deployed in the Ladakh theatre, and problems at Depsang and Demchok are still on the negotiating table.
At his annual media briefing on January 11, Pande said the situation in the Ladakh sector was “stable, yet sensitive,” adding that the army’s operational preparedness was high, and its deployments “robust and balanced.” Talks at the military and diplomatic levels are on to resolve the outstanding issues along LAC, he said.
The Chinese soldiers also shot videos of the shepherds.
The incident happened on January 2 near patrolling point 36 in Taklung area, which lies in Chushul sector. After heated arguments, the Chinese soldiers left the place the place, said Namgyal.
“Following the incident, Indian Army and Chinese Army had also met in the Chushul sector on the same day to resolve the issue before it could flare up. On January 11, the sub divisional magistrate of Nyoma block, Jigmet Angchuk also visited the place to assess the situation,” he added.
The video is of an incident that took place in first week of January, officials aware of the matter said in Delhi on Tuesday.
Such incidents are commonplace and happen on both sides whenever graziers stray across LAC on account of differing perceptions of the unmarked border, the officials said, asking not to be named.
Such incidents are dealt with appropriately as per established mechanism, the officials added.
While Chinese soldiers claimed that the area they had entered belonged to them, the Indian shepherds contested that claim.
“Ever since the incident, the Indian Army has requested the villagers not to go close to LAC to avoid confrontation with the Chinese soldiers. However, if we keep conceding to Chinese claims, they may put up tents and a check post on our land,” said the Leh City councilor.
Namgyal said that he flagged the issue to the Nyoma SDM, who has claimed that the issue has been amicably resolved and there was no need to escalate it.
Intelligence sources told HT that a report of the latest incident has been sent to the Union home ministry. Calls and messages to the Leh deputy magistrate Santosh Sukhadeve went unanswered.