Chinese troops made a fresh bid to violate the border with India in Chumar area in ladakh on Sunday but retreated after Indian security forces formed a human wall to check their incursion effort.
Chumar, located 300 km east of leh, has been an epicentre of heightened activities of the Chinese People's liberation Army (PlA) who had been making increased attempts to enter through this region, official sources said.
Sources said nine PlA soldiers first reached the border area at 0700 hours on March 16 and were stopped by the Army and ITBP jawans which was followed by the customary banner drill.
However, 10 more PlA personnel arrived soon on the scene riding horses and joined their colleagues to make attempts to move ahead into the Indian territory. Chinese troops made repeated assertions that it was their territory and they were headed towards Tible area, five km deep into the Indian territory, the sources said. The troops told the Indian jawans that they were ordered by the PlA headquarters to conduct reconnaissance in Tible area, the sources added.
However, more Indian troops joined in and Chinese troops made a retreat by 0900 hours the same day, the sources added..During the onset of winter, Chumar has witnessed frequent incursion attempts by the Chinese troops who also have been adopting 'assertive posturing'. This area has a defined International Border with China.
Chumar has been an issue for China which claims it to be its own territory and have been making helicopter incursions almost every year. In 2012, it dropped some of the soldiers of PlA in this region and dismantled the makeshift storage tents of the Army and ITBP.
The area is strategic for India as it is not accessible from the Chinese side. Indian side has a road almost to the last point on which the Army can carry loads up to nine tonnes. Chumar had become a flash point during the fortnight long stand-off last year in Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) as the Chinese side had objected to overhead bunkers erected by the Indian side.
Crossing the line
Chumar, located 300 km east of leh, has been an epicentre of heightened activities of the Chinese People's liberation Army (PlA) which had been making increased attempts to enter through this region
Chinese troops made repeated assertions that it was their territory and they were headed towardsTible area, five km deep into Indian territory
The troops told the Indian jawans that they were ordered by the PlA headquarters to conduct reconnaissance in Tible area During the onset of winter, Chumar has witnessed frequent incursion attempts by the Chinese troops who also have been adopting ‘assertive posturing'