Srinagar, Dec. 15: Chinese troops have released three Indians who had crossed the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh in search of their horses, staving off what could have become a fresh confrontation.
The trio were detained 10 days ago in the Chumar sector. The area is close to Daulat Beg Oldi where a standoff between the neighbours had gone on for weeks this April after People Liberation Army (PLA) personnel allegedly set up tents almost 20km deep inside Indian territory.
The 20-day standoff ended after troops from both sides withdrew to the pre-incursion positions. In October, the nations signed the Border Defence Co-operation Agreement during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to China. The agreement seeks to prevent such border spats.
Officials said five Indians from Ladakh had strayed to the other side on December 5 and while two of them returned, three were caught and detained.
Leh collector Simrandeep Singh said the villagers had crossed over to the other side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), into territory under the control of the Chinese but claimed by India. "There was a flag meeting on December 11. They (three) were handed back after the (Indian) army's insistence," he said.
The officer said the LAC was not demarcated in Ladakh and there were huge pastures in the area. "There is no fencing there. People generally leave their horses for grazing. They have been doing this for centuries. They leave their horses there for days and they (the animals) return on their own a few days later," he said.
This time, the horses had not come back, Singh said. Suspecting the Chinese had seized them, the villagers crossed over to the other side, he added.
Another official said the Indian army took up the matter with the PLA after being approached by relatives of the trio.
via Top Stories - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNH0QWe1cKgihLBpwuUmZrl3cY_Keg&url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1131216/jsp/nation/story_17685691.jsp
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment