New Delhi:
Indian and Chinese officers are seen clashing in a video of a high-altitude skirmish in Sikkim that has emerged days after the deadly face-off at Ladakh.
A Chinese officer is punched by an Indian jawan as soldiers of both sides brawl in the mobile phone video that lasts over five minutes.
Indian and Chinese soldiers are seen shoving each other and arguing. “Go back” and “don’t fight” shout soldiers from both sides. There is a physical fight in the snow-covered spot.
After several moments, the fighting appears to die down as an Indian officer asks whether a Chinese soldier beaten during the fight is alright.
It is not clear when the video was shot but it has emerged on a day India and China held top military talks on the Chinese side of the border to discuss the Galwan face-off and other points of dispute. Lieutenant General-level talks were held at Moldo on the Chinese side of Chushul in eastern Ladakh.
The last time a meeting at this level was held was on June 6, when India and China agreed to pull back troops in attempts to de-escalate after weeks of tension and build-up. In today’s talks, the generals resumed discussions on the disengagement process, which was stalled by the worst-ever border confrontation between the Indian and Chinese armies since 1967 last week.
On June 15, 20 soldiers were killed in the line of duty and 76 were injured in a deadly clash that broke out over the Chinese refusing to remove a tent as part of what was agreed on June 6.
Indian soldiers were assaulted with crude and barbaric weapons used by the Chinese troops, including nail-studded clubs, spiked rods and stones. Army sources said 45 Chinese soldiers were killed or injured in the brawl along Galwan River.
During military talks held at Galwan after the clash, the Chinese army admitted that their commanding officer was killed – the first admission by China of any casualty.
