Chinese incursions on; PLA once came 2kms close to Indian posts

Three months after the 21-day stand-off in Depsang valley in Ladakh, Chinese troops again came deep inside the Indian territory in that area last week to reach upto 2 kms close to Indian posts, in one of five such incursions in the recent past.

According to fresh details, the Chinese troops continued with the incursions and the latest incident happened as recent as two days back, this time in Chumar sector of Ladakh.

In the Depsang valley of Daulat Beg Oldi, the scene of April stand-off, Chinese troops came around 2 km close to Indian posts in Burtse on July 12, which is around 30km from the perceived Line of Actual Control, sources said.

This incursion was among five such incidents over the last 11 days. Other incursions took place in the Chumar sector which has been witnessing a heightened frequency of intrusions by the Chinese soldiers in the recent few months, they said.

In the Chumar sector, the Chinese troops had entered the area on July 16-17 and July 18 also and before that, their choppers had entered and violated Indian air space on July 11. On July 20, a Chinese patrol came inside Chumar in the evening and after spending a few hours there, went back to their positions across the LAC, sources said.

Depsang plains were the scene of a face-off in April when Chinese had pitched their tents 19 km inside India. They vacated their positions only after the two sides agreed to maintain pre-April 15 positions along the LAC in the entire ladakh sector.

During the incursion on July 16-17, around 50 Chinese troops entered the Chumar sector on horses and ponies and returned after spending the night in the Indian territory.

In view of the increasing instances of incursion, the Indian Army formations in Ladakh have sought a flag meeting with their Chinese counterparts in Spangur Gap border meeting point in Ladakh, sources said.

The meeting is expected to be held in the next few days. Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh on Monday briefed Defence Minister A K Antony on the current situation on the LAC, army sources said.