The recent violent clash between the Indian Army and PLA was the biggest confrontation since the 1967 clashes, where India lost around 80 soldiers and 300 Chinese army personnel were killed.
In the clash that took place on Monday evening, about 20 Indian soldiers were martyred where 17 of them “were critically injured in the line of duty and exposed to sub-zero temperatures at the standoff location succumbed to their injuries.”
Let’s have a look at the scenario:
- Token disengagements followed the Lt Gen-level talks between India and China that were held on June 6 in a bid to resolve the month-long border standoff in Eastern Ladakh.
- In the mid-week, the Chinese returned and established their camp on the Indian side. India dismantled the camp, following which a clash broke out between both the troops, injuring several soldiers.
- The Chinese troops withdrew but only to come back with might force over the weekend. Stone-pelting was reported on June 14.
- On Monday (June 15), clashes intensified rapidly and many Indian and Chinese soldiers fell into the Galwan river during the scuffle. It is to be noted that Chinese had agreed to step back from the position and talks between major generals of both sides were supposed to take place on June 16.
- As the PLA troops didn’t move back, an unarmed patrol team of the Indian Army led by Colonel Santosh Babu of 16 Bihar Regiment set out to hold a discussion with the Chinese side.The PLA refused to move back and started attacking Indian delegation with boulders, rocks wrapped with barbed wire and wooden log with nails around them. The Indian side also retaliated.
- In the first hit by the Chinese troops deliberately, the CO was severely injured. The CO and Havaldar was taken back. And some of the injured soldiers were taken captive immediately by the Chinese side.
- As per reports, after about 40 minutes the same unit led by a Major went and raided the area again.
- The Indian Army retaliated at the Chinese post with much vigorous strength and injured nearly 55-56 Chinese soldiers. Many casualties were also inflicted. All this was happening near a ridge and many of the soldiers were pushed down a cliff into the narrow, fast-moving Galwan river. This is the time when many of the casualties on the Indian and Chinese side happened.
- Hand-to-hand fighting continued for three hours late Monday night. Stones and metal clubs with barbed wire were heavily used, due to which, many suffered head injuries.
(Inputs from India Today)
