A video of an earlier altercation surfaced the day after the government announced a conflict between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the border in Arunachal Pradesh on December 9. The footage from the previous year depicts a violent altercation in the same Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, neighbourhood.
The incident depicted in the video is thought to have occurred at the Yangtse sector close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) sometime after the fighting at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and the injury or death of over 40 Chinese soldiers. In the footage, Indian soldiers are shown repelling a coordinated Chinese effort to ascend a slope and breach the defences of the Indians, who have taken up position. The Indian soldiers are seen violently clashing with and beating up Chinese soldiers who are trying to cross over. “Hit them so hard, they don’t come back,” the jawans are heard saying in Punjabi.
“There was a physical fight between the two sides but Indian soldiers “compelled the Chinese soldiers to return to their posts”
“Hit them on the head…maaro, maaro. Give it back to them…Chase them away,” they shout. Indian soldiers are shown striking Chinese soldiers with batons and using fists to successfully prevent the Chinese from advancing.
After the incident from last week was made public, the video has been circulated by numerous political figures. Yesterday in parliament, Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, stated that on December 9, China made an attempt to seize territory in the same region. There was a physical fight between the two sides but Indian soldiers “compelled the Chinese soldiers to return to their posts”, pushing back in a “firm and resolute manner”, Rajnath Singh said. He said there were “minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides” and the two sides “immediately disengaged from the area”.
India-China clash- Arunachal Pradesh: Watch the video here
There are 25 places of contention along the 3488 km undelineated boundary between China and India
According to the Defence Minister, Chinese forces “tried to violate the LAC in Yangtse, Tawang, and unilaterally disrupt the status quo.” Chinese soldiers returned to their positions as a result of Indian military officers’ prompt involvement. He added that the matter had also been brought up through diplomatic channels, adding that the Chinese were asked to “refrain from such actions and maintain peace and calm along the border” in a conference of commanders. Without addressing the conflict, China stated that the situation on the border was “basically steady.”
There are 25 places of contention along the 3488 km undelineated boundary between China and India. One of these is Yangtse, which the Chinese have frequently attacked. In the two years since the fighting in Galwan, military leaders have met numerous times, and as a result, Indian and Chinese forces have withdrawn from strategic locations like Gogra-Hot Springs in Ladakh.
