New Delhi / Ladakh Feb 12 :- Chinese soldiers entered Indian territory on January 28 in Ladakh and stopped local people from grazing their herd in the area, a local official has alleged.
The Block Development Chairperson of Nyoma, Urgain Chodon, told The Indian Express: “There was an incident on January 28, when PLA troops came into our territory, they drove away the grazing herds from our own territory. They did not take anyone, but shooed the nomads and herds away.”
On Friday, she also tweeted a 45-second video of the alleged incident in a grazing area called Dogbuk.
A defence source said this video appeared to be an old one. “It appears recorded during the summer season as no snow can be seen,” this source stated.
Chodon, who was earlier a councillor from BJP, maintained while speaking to The Indian Express: “What I tweeted is what happened.”
Along with the video, Chodon posted the following: “On 28 jan PLA army came in our territory n not letting our herds graze in our own territory at dat time no action from security force but our own herdman cross the undemarcated Border to get his livelihood(yak)back army caught him from our own territory and send him 2 policestati”.
Chodon said the second incident she refers to in her tweet took place on January 26 in the Changlum area. “A local nomad had crossed the Line of Actual Control to bring back 17 of his yaks. On his way back, he was accosted by the Indian Army, which interrogated him and took him to a police station.”
“I myself had gone to the Nyoma Police Station to bring the nomad back. Even though the IB people said that he is our nomad, still the Army did not believe and left him at the police station.” Chodon claimed.
The defence source quoted above confirmed that such an incident took place, but added that no yaks were found with him.
“Since the statement of the civilian and his actions did not match, as a precautionary measure, he was handed over by the Army and ITBP to the local police,” this source said.
Chodon maintained her stand on this incident as well.
In a second tweet on Friday, she said: “…our government has always taken a strong position in (the) case of border security and development. And I request the government to take serious consideration of this matter too.”
She said the government should fence the border in the area to resolve such issues.
