AMID THE ongoing standoff between India and China in Doklam, Chinese soldiers made a brief transgression into Indian territory at the Barahoti area in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand on July 25, said security sources. According to sources, this was the second such incident in the region this month — the first was on July 15. “On both occasions, about 15-20 Chinese soldiers transgressed into the territory at Barahoti. The soldiers stayed there for a while and went back,” said a highly-placed source in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). “Soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) came in about 1 km into Indian territory and asked local shepherds from India who were grazing their cattle there to leave. By the time, ITBP personnel reached the area, the Chinese soldiers had left,” said an officer in the security establishment. Barahoti, an open pasture area, is a disputed area on the India-China border, with frequent transgressions by the Chinese being reported. Playing down the incident, a government source in the Capital said: “Media is carrying reports about an intrusion in Barahoti. Incidents of similar nature have happened in the past but are normally sorted out locally and should not be given undue importance.” The ITBP officer said while such transgressions occur routinely, there has been a spike following the Doklam standoff. The actual figures will be known after September, when the data is compiled. On June 3 this year, two suspected Chinese helicopters were reported to have violated Indian airspace — they were seen hovering over the Barahoti region for at least three minutes. On July 22, 2016, a similar incursion was reported in the area when some civil administration officials found four-five armed PLA soldiers around 200 metres inside the demilitarised zone there with a vehicle. The PLA soldiers raised their customary slogan of “This is our land, go back”, following which the Indian officials left. The Chinese troops, too, withdrew the same day. Three days later, an air transgression by a Chinese helicopter was reported in the same area. Army sources, meanwhile, sought to play down the latest incident, describing the reports of a transgression as “incorrect”. “Transgressions do occur, which are due to differing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control,” they said. Meanwhile, sources said another transgression was reported at Asaphila, in Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, on Sunday. PLA soldiers reportedly entered about five kilometres inside Indian territory and went back after a few hours. “There was no confrontation between the Chinese soldiers and ITBP,” said a source. “In the last one month, there have been about four such transgressions in the Arunachal sector. There were instances when PLA soldiers camped for the night inside Indian territory,” said the official. (With inputs from Sushant Singh)
