An Indian colonel and two soldiers were killed in a violent face-off with Chinese troops on Monday night at Galwan Valley in Ladakh. This is the first violent incident involving fatalities since 1975 between India and China. Both the countries fought a brief border war in 1962.
Sources from the army told NDTV that the soldiers were not shot but were killed in a physical fight involving stones and batons.
Here are the five points you need to know on this regard:
1 - A statement from the army said: "During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties on both sides. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation."
2 - Editor-in-Chief of Global Times has, in a tweet, admitted of casualties on the Chinese side. "Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don't be arrogant and misread China's restraint as being weak. China doesn't want to have a clash with India, but we don't fear it," tweeted Hu Xijin.
3 - Beijing, in a statement, accused India of crossing the border, "attacking Chinese personnel", reported AFP. China's Foreign Ministry was quoted by Reuters as saying India should not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble.
4 - "What's shocking is that on June 15, the Indian side severely violated our consensus and twice crossed the border line and provoked and attacked the Chinese forces, causing a violent physical confrontation between the two border forces. China is raising strong opposition and stern representations to the Indian side on this," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing.
5 - After a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, the three military chiefs and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation at the border via video call.
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