20 Indian Soldiers, 40 Chinese Killed In Ladakh Border Clash?

NEW DELHI: Contrary to earlier reports, at least 20 Indian soldiers are reported to have been killed in the violent clash with Chinese troops that took place on the line of actual control (LAC) at Galwan Valley in Ladakh on Monday night. This is the startling piece of information trickling from sources in the Indian government, as being reported by some news agencies. The sources also point to heavy casualties on the Chinese side in the fierce face-off between the two sides after weeks of tension at the border.

Unconfirmed reports claim that China also suffered at least 40 casualties in the incident, the first bloody clash between the two countries in over 45 years. The two countries, which were in a war over the border in 1962, were involved in a similar clash way back in 1975.

It is reported that on Monday night even as Colonel Santhosh Babu, the commanding officer of the regiment, was engaged in a dialogue, a fierce face-off ensued between the two sides. Ironically, the incident took place during the de-escalation of troop buildup. Unconfirmed reports claim that the a large posse of Chinese troops attaccked the Indian soldiers with rods, stones and sticks coiled with barbed wires inflicting heavy damage on the Indian side.

According to the sources in the Indian government, as quoted by a few news agencies, the Indian soldiers retaliated hard leading to heavy casualties on the Chinese side as well. Unconfirmed reports claim that at least 40 Chinese soldiers could have also been killed in the incident. The Indian Army however made it clear that no firing took place as part of the ugly border clash.

India claims that the clash was "a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo on the LAC at Galwan Valley." It rejected China's claims that Indian soldiers have intruded into the Chinese territory.

The dragon country has been displaying an aggressive intent in the form of massive troop buildup and conducting military exercises along the LAC in the last few weeks. Even as China's flaunting of its military might is being seen as an obvious provocation, the Chinese soldiers frequently breaching the LAC and intruding into the Indian territory at several places fuelled further tensions between the two countries.

China is believed to be using these acts of war-mongering as a bullying tactic to force India to give up its construction activities on its side of the LAC. In fact, China is reortedly angry with India for laying link roads close to the LAC to counter the eastern neighbour's expansive military constructions on its side.