Rekindling the tensions over boundary claims India and China troops had a brief skirmish at two points along the Line of Actual Control this week, leaving personnel injured on both sides, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
“Aggressive behavior by the two sides resulted in minor injuries to troops. The two sides disengaged after dialogue and interaction at the local level,” the ministry said in a statement according to news agency Reuters.
According to sources, a Colonel and a Major were among the Indian personnel injured in the clash.
The incident took place in the Nakula area — a mountain in Sikkim at an altitude of over 5000 meters.
Following the incident, Army said: “temporary and short duration faceoffs between the border guarding troops do occur as boundaries are not resolved.”
No comment was made on how the tension started or what caused the injuries, but according to an English daily Chinese troops attacked Indian soldiers on patrol in the area. According to sources, the Chinese were carrying batons studded with nails, which caused serious injuries to several Indian soldiers. The Indian troops, sources added, retaliated at the Chinese soldiers, and the confrontation continued until senior officers from both sides intervened.
India and China have often accused each other of intrusions into each other’s territories; however, clashes are rare.
The deep mistrust between the two countries over the territory claims had triggered a brief war in 1962 and one the most serious standoff in years on the Doklam plateau in 2017.
