China puts up 7 tents in Leh

Leh/New Delhi: The stand-off in Ladakh's Chumur area took a new turn on Sunday with soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) pitching seven tents well within the Indian territory and showing no signs of withdrawing from the territory.

The Chinese, who had arrived in vehicles on Saturday in Chumur, 300 km from Ladakh's capital Leh, started erecting the tents in the Indian territory despite repeated warnings by the Army to vacate the area, official sources said.

Nearly 100 personnel of the PLA are believed to be present around Point 30R, a strategically important post, as it helps India to keep a vigil deep inside the occupied territory of Chinese, they said. The fresh transgression is in addition to the 35-odd Chinese personnel who are already camping at a hillock in the Chumur area, the sources said. The Chinese soldiers were demanding that Indian Army should withdraw simultaneously from the area but the Army is sticking to its stand. The Chinese soldiers had retreated to their territory on Thursday night.

The post at Point 30R, which has been erected by the Indian Army as an observation post dominating the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been frequented by the PLA. The post gives advantage to India in keeping a vigil on the Chinese activity deep across the border.