Chinese soldier strays into Indian territory, detained

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 9

A Chinese soldier was apprehended on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh during early hours of January 8.

The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC, in area south of Pangong Tso lake and was taken into custody by Indian troops deployed in the area, according to official sources.

Troops from either side are deployed along the LAC since friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilisation and forward concentration by Chinese troops.

The PLA soldier is being dealt with as per laid-down procedures and the circumstances under which he had crossed the LAC are being investigated. Further details are awaited, sources said.

This is the second known instance of a PLA soldier straying across the LAC since the stand-off began about 19 months ago.

Earlier, the PLA soldier was repatriated within a few days as per protocol.

There was also an instance where a few civilians had inadvertently crossed over to the Chinese side in Arunachal Pradesh late last year. The Chinese had handed them over later.