Riding on horses and ponies, around 50 Chinese soldiers intruded into the Indian territory of Chumar in Ladakh on July 16, staking their claim over the area.
The Chinese troops started their incursion in the Chumar area on the evening and remained in the area till the morning of July 17, sources said.
Army sources confirmed the intrusion, saying that Indian troops had intercepted the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) patrol in the Chumar area and after the usual banner drill between the two sides, the PLA patrol went back into its territory.
Sources said the intruding Chinese soldiers asked the Indian soldiers to vacate the area, claiming they were standing in Chinese territory.
The incursion by Chinese land forces comes soon after its two helicopters violated Indian air space on July 11 in the same sector.
PLA troops had taken away an Indian surveillance camera on June 17, also in the same area.
The latest incursion took place on the day when India gave the approval for the creation of a 50,000-strong Mountain Strike Corps along the border with China.
The frequency of such incidents increased around the time Defence Minister A.K. Antony went to China earlier this month and the two countries discussed measures to enhance peace along the Line of Actual Control. —PTI
