Chinese Army Reportedly Crossed LAC In Uttarakhand's Barahoti In August, Damaged A Bridge

Even as both India and China reaffirm their commitment to disengagement and reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, a new report has said that there was fresh transgression from the Chinese side.

PTI has reported that some 100 soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) had transgressed the LAC in the Barahoti sector in Uttarakhand last month.

BCCL/ File

The transgression took place on August 30, and the Chinese troops returned from the area after spending few hours, the report which quoted people familiar with the development said.

According to a report by The Economic Times, the PLA soldiers had damaged some infrastructure, including a bridge before retreating.

The report added that over 100 soldiers and 55 horses transgressed over 5 km of Indian territory by crossing the Tun Jun La Pass, and did not result in a face-off between the two sides.

Google Maps

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel deployed in the area carried out patrolling as part of a tit-for-tat strategy.

As per reports, minor transgressions have been regularly reported from the area since 1954 because of differing perceptions about the LAC by both sides.

However, to date, Barahoti has not seen any major escalation between the two sides.

The development, which is likely to increase tensions between New Delhi and Beijing further comes at a time when the Chinese side has significantly ramped up infrastructure development along the LAC in the sector.

BCCL/ File

India has been maintaining a strict vigil along the nearly 3,500-km LAC following the eastern Ladakh standoff.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year in eastern Ladakh following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

India lost 20 soldiers including the Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment, while the number of fatalities on the Chinese side is still unclear, in hand-to-hand combat, which was the bloodiest stand-off between the two sides in decades.

AFP

Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area last month.

In February, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.