Chinese troops reportedly intruded three times into the Indian territory in the Barahoti area of Chamoli district in August. Though the local administration is not confirming the intrusion, Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) sources informed that the troops of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) had intruded into Barahoti on August 6, 14 and 15. In one of such intrusions, the Chinese troops reportedly came at least four kilometres inside the Indian territory, ITBP sources said.
Quizzed over the development, the Superintendent of Police (SP) Chamoli, Tripti Bhatt declined to comment.
Importantly, the Chinese troops had intruded into the Barahoti area on July 26 also. At the time, more than 150 troops had entered the Indian territory. Thereafter, the ITBP personnel had spotted them during their patrolling and confronted them at Rimkhim post after which the PLA soldiers retreated back to the Chinese side of the border.
In the second week of June this year, two Chinese helicopters had reportedly been seen flying in the area.
Located in Chamoli district, Barahoti is a high-altitude pasture land spread over about 80 square kilometers. As part of the agreement between India and China, the area is a demilitarized zone where troops of both the countries do not carry weapons while patrolling. To bolster its presence in the sensitive area, a team of Chamoli district administration visits the area at least four times in a year.
Notably, Uttarakhand shares a 375 km stretch of international boundary with China in the Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts. The State Government has recently started developing infrastructure as part of its effort to strengthen its position along the Sino-Indian border. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has also intensified its activity in the area and has constructed airstrips to take on a possible Chinese threat.