Published 12:33 IST, June 17th 2020
How China violated 'consensus': An illegal LAC tent and rod-wielding soldiers guarding it
Sources say that during the June 6 meeting between Lt General-rank officials, Chinese side had agreed that they will remove a tent they had pitched at Point 14
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The Indian Army on Tuesday confirmed the death of 20 soldiers in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan area, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Even though China has not released any information on the casualties suffered by its army during the faceoff, sources said that US intel believes that 35 PLA soldiers died, including a senior officer.
China agreed to remove the tent
Sources say that during the June 6 meeting between Lt General-rank officials, the Chinese side had agreed that they will get a tent they had pitched at Point 14. The Chinese removed the tent after the meeting but they again enacted the tent at the same place. After the tent was reenacted, India's Commanding Officer was given the task to get the tent removed, so he along with his troops went to hold the dialogue to get it removed on Monday night.
The Chinese side resorted to the scuffle as they were fully prepared and took advantage as the Indian patrol team was unarmed. But the soldiers fought with valour and bravery and inflicted heavy casualties to the PLA, sources added. As the Indian troops were unarmed, the soldiers when attacked by PLA troops by iron rods and batons, snatched the same from the Chinese Army and retaliated to the attack.
900 troops from each side involved
They displayed raw courage in the face of such grave provocation. At least 900 troops on both the sides were involved in the physical clash on the night of June 15, sources said to Republic. No bullets were fired in the clash. Following this, China was quick to attempt a shift of blame to India without offering a sequence of events, though later, once more facts came to light, India's MEA put the details of the table, exposing a remarkably opaque China's belligerence.
The intense clash occurred at an altitude of 15,000 feet where the Chinese Army had built a fresh post and set up arctic tents at vantage points. This gave the Chinese a clear view of the strategic Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) road.
Since 1975, this was the first time casualties were reported from the Indian side due to a clash with the PLA. In 1975, Indian Patrol was ambushed by the Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh in 1975.
12:33 IST, June 17th 2020