Ten captured Indian soldiers released by China as evidence grows Beijing planned Ladakh ambush
Ten Indian soldiers captured by China in Ladakh on Monday evening have been released, as evidence grows Beijing “meticulously planned” the ambush.
The Indian Army has said no further troops are being held prisoner but 76 Indian soldiers remain injured, after Chinese troops attacked Indian forces with brutal weapons including nail-embedded rods.
Indian intelligence agencies flagged the unusual movement of Chinese soldiers to bases on the Tibetan side of the Line of Actual Control, which separates the two superpowers, as early as February.
Yet, Indian troops were slow to reinforce after the Himalayan spring snow due to the coronavirus and members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) crossed the LAC and annexed 60 square kilometres of Indian territory at four locations - Pangong Tso Lake, Galwan River and Valley, Hot Springs and Demchok.
Former leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, tweeted today that it was “crystal clear” that the government was “fast asleep”.
The Indian Army has officially declared that 20 Indian soldiers were killed in clashes but on condition of anonymity, sources told the Telegraph this figure was 23, as three bodies were unidentifiable due to the injuries inflicted by the Chinese weapons.
The Deccan Chronicle quoted intelligence sources today, saying the actual number of fatalities on the Indian side is as high as 40, as bodies fell in the Galwan River or are buried in deep snow on the mountainside.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing was not privy to any Indian prisoners: "As far as I know China has not detained any Indian personnel," said Zhao Lijian.
Official Indian sources say China suffered 35 casualties during the clash, quoting U.S intelligence material, a development Beijing said it also wasn’t aware of.
In the days leading up to Monday’s clash, satellite footage obtained by Earth-imaging company Planet Labs shows China brought in machinery, cut grooves into the mountainside and may have damned the Galwan River to change its flow.
A senior Indian government official told the Hindu newspaper that the PLA “meticulously planned” the ambush on an Indian patrol, which had set off to ascertain whether Chinese troops had withdrawn from the Galwan Valley, as per an agreement between senior army officers from the two nations.
The source said China was able to release freezing water at a high speed having blocked small rivulets, which made the Indian soldiers lose their balance.
The armed Chinese troops then charged and many Indian soldiers were either beaten to death or fell into the Galwan River below.
“It was pre-planned by China and Indian forces will give a befitting reply,” cautioned Indian Union Minister, Shripad Naik.
Bilateral talks are continuing today and both sides have expressed a desire to reach a peaceful resolution but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under increasing pressure from some MPs to respond with force.
