Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The flashpoint at the LAC.

Flash Point PP 14 Galwan Valley

1. Yesterday as the crimson sun was rolling down in the west, Indian Army's battalion was waiting 
    since morning to ensure that the PLA troops to fall back to Post 1, which was 5 km to the east as 
    per the disengagement plan decided on 06 Jun 2020 at the Corps commanders' level meeting held
    at area near Chushul.

2. At one stage, the Chinese troops got ready to go back but they suddenly turned back and assaulted
    the Indian troops. CO 16 Bihar and his two escorts were knocked down with iron poles, bamboos 
    embedded with nails and stones. Indian troops retaliated and in close unarmed combat, bashed up      PLA soldiers. The unarmed combat continued for several hours. Around midnight, the troops
    disengaged.                

3. As the sun broke the dawn, it was confirmed that the CO and two soldiers had succumbed to
    injuries. Around midday, the news of the clash at Galwan was flashing on national media.

4. Global news, the official news channel of China announced that 5 PLA soldiers were killed and
    approximately 11 severely injured.

5. Close door meeting between the RM, EAM, CDS and the service chiefs took place earlier in the
    day. 

6. The end of the day reports say that 20 Indian Army personnel have attained martyrdom with 43
    Chinese casualties.

Epilogue.

Talks to pull back hundreds of troops deployed in the remote region have been held over the last ten days but no breakthrough had emerged. Indian government sources said no shots were fired but a physical fight broke out between the two sides with soldiers using batons and throwing stones, which resulted in the casualties.

The Army said, "During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place last night with casualties on both sides. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation".

But mystery surrounds the situation after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that he was not aware of any incident on the border with India. China's Global Times newspaper tweeted, "Based on the ground situation, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash". It sent a chilling warning to India, "Don't be arrogant and misread  China's restraint as being weak. China doesn't want to have a clash with India but we don't fear it".

The Global Times is published by the People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party.


Tailpiece.

Had got up at 4 AM, thanks to Lekha's cellphone. I'd a rethink, based on medical advice and had called off our trip. The Quarterdeck was opened up and Suraaj was asked to reach so as to drive off to Kochi by a half past 6. Lekha stayed back.

We reached the clinic by a 10' past 9 and were on our return leg by a quarter past 10 and reached home by lunchtime. Our folks in Thiruvananthapuram expressed their disappointment at the cancellation of our visit.

No comments:

Post a Comment