Ladakh LAC Tension: India, China In First 'Bloody' Clash In 45 Years!

NEW DELHI: An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed during a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night. This is the first such incident in the last 45 years reflecting massive escalation in the five-week border row.

The Indian Army has said that there have been casualties on both sides and there was no firing during the clashes in Ladakh that has left three Indian soldiers dead. The extent of casualties on the Chinese side is not immediately clear, a news agency reported.

"During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place on Monday night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers," the Army said in a brief statement.

It is learnt that the Army officer killed in the clash was the commanding officer of a battalion at Galwan. He was the Colonel of Bihar regiment, according to a channel. It is believed that the three Army men died due to injuries sustained following stone-pelting by the Chinese side.

However, there is no official word on it.

China's state-run newspaper Global Times claimed in a report that clashes were triggered by Indian troops as they crossed over to the Chinese side and carried out attacks on Chinese soldiers.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the current operational situation in eastern Ladakh along with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was also present in the meeting.

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane's planned visit to Pathankot military station has been cancelled, according to a news agency.

Large number of Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in Galwan Valley and certain other areas of eastern Ladakh for last five weeks.

The incident comes days after the Indian Army Chief said both sides have begun disengaging from Galwan Valley.

The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in the standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. A sizeable number of Chinese Army personnel even transgressed into the Indian side of the de-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso.

(With inputs from PTI)