India-China violent clash: Jharkhand government cancels train carrying labourers to Leh

Amid the rising tensions between India and China along the border, a special train that was to carry 1,600 migrant workers on their way to Leh from Dumka in Jharkhand for construction work of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was cancelled on Tuesday.

'Keeping in view the safety of workers'

"This was the second such train after a special train on June 13 carried a similar number of workers on their way to Leh, following an agreement between the Jharkhand government and the BRO," officials said. "The train was cancelled keeping in view the safety of workers," Dumka Deputy Commissioner Rajeshwari B said.

As per agencies, the train was scheduled to leave Dumka around 2 pm and take the migrant workers till Jammu, from where the BRO would have arranged transport for them. One train has already gone and the second has been held up, following the tense situation. "Workers from our state use to work there and when the situation will become normal, the trains will start again. For the labourers who could not go there, we are creating employment opportunities here under MNREGA," she added.

"(We are) establishing contact with the BRO officials and then further action will be taken," Chief Minister Hemant Soren told reporters.

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Saluting the Army officer and two soldiers killed in a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday, he said the brave soldiers did not budge an inch. "I offer my condolences to the bereaved families and prayers to the almighty to give them enough strength at this hour," Soren said, adding that one of the soldiers was from Jharkhand.

20 Indian soldiers martyred

India said on Tuesday that a violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side.

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During the faceoff, the External Affairs Ministry said, both sides suffered casualties and the Chinese side had departed from the consensus to respect the LAC in the Galway Valley. China has not released any information on the casualties suffered by the People's Liberation Army soldiers during the violent face-off in eastern Ladakh. While at least 20 Indians soldiers were martyred, 43 casualties have also been reported from the Chinese side.

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(With agency inputs)