A Chinese Soldier was apprehended on the Indian side of the LAC by the Indian Army on Friday. The People’s Liberation Army soldier had trespassed across the LAC in the area south to Pangong Tso. According to the reports, the Indian army has informed the Chinese army about the transgression of their soldier and his immediate apprehension.
The sources state that the solider from the Chinese side is being dealt with according to the procedures laid down. The Indian Army is also investigating the circumstances under which the soldier crossed the LAC.
An official of the army said, “During early hours of 08 January 21, a Chinese soldier was apprehended on the Indian side of the LAC, in Ladakh, an area South of Pangong Tso lake. The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC and was taken into custody by Indian troops deployed in this area,” an official said.
The official also added, “The PLA soldier is being dealt with as per laid down procedures and circumstances under which he had crossed the LAC are being investigated. Further details are awaited.”
Speaking about the increasing deployment of the Chinese troops along LAC the Indian Army said, “The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC and was taken into custody by Indian troops deployed in this area. Troops from either side are deployed along the LAC since friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilization and forward concentration by Chinese troops.”
The Chinese and Indian sides have so far deployed thousands of troops along the LAC. Since May 2020 tensions are in heightened state between India and China. Especially along with the points in the Ladakh region. The strains were tightened in June 2020 when the Indian soldiers were killed during a stand-off which escalated to a fatal face-off. The action took place in Galwan Valley which is a flashpoint between India and China. After the faceoff, China was condemned for not revealing the number of soldiers that were part of the faceoff.
To find a peaceful solution to the standoff, a total of eight rounds of military talks have so far taken place. So far both the armies are in a deadlock regarding the situation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 8th January said that both the countries have maintained communication to avoid “misunderstandings and misjudgments.”
When asked about the state of Indo-China talks about the border, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the latest round of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) took place on 18th December with the two sides agreeing to hold the next round.
It should be noted that the apprehension of the Chinese soldier on Friday was not the first time the Indian army has apprehended a PLA soldier.
In October 2020, the Indian Army apprehended Corporal Wang Ya Long near the Demchok area of Ladakh. The troubling fact of this apprehension was the soldier carrying civil and military documents with him. Post his apprehension, Corporal Wang Ya Long was given the aid of a medical assistant and was later handed back to China on October 21.
It is so far unclear whether the soldier captured on Friday was carrying any documents like Corporal Long or not.
