Galwan clash: 76 injured soldiers recovering; China releases 10 personnel
A total of 76 soldiers of the Indian Army were injured in the clash with China's People Liberation Army (PLA), on Monday, and all of them are recuperating, several reports said. 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in the worst escalation between India and China in decades, and the first such incident to have taken place in the high-altitude Galwan Valley after 1962 Indo-Sino war.
After heightened tension between the neighbors since May, a bloodbath ensued as China attacked Indian troops near Patrol Point 14 — a crucial area in the Indian territory from where Chinese positions can be overlooked. The fight started just as the Indian regiment was expecting the Chinese to retreat. PLA used nail-studded clubs, iron rods, and barbed-wire wrapped rocks to inflict injuries.
Among those who laid their lives was the Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar Regiment, B Santhosh Babu. 18 of those injured are being treated at a Leh hospital and are expected to return to posts in 15 days. 56 others were sent to other facilities and can resume duties within a week, army officials told NDTV. Yesterday, Army clarified none were missing in action.
The Army put out a statement about missing soldiers after reports suggested that some have been taken into custody by the Chinese. 10 personnel, including two Majors, two Captains, and six Jawans from two units returned last night. This happened after hectic negotiations during Major General-level talks. Following the standard procedure, these soldiers were medically examined and underwent preliminary debriefing, said IE.
This was the first time since the 1962 war that Indian soldiers were taken into custody by the Chinese. According to people aware of the developments, PLA was told in clear terms that further talks/disengagement will depend on the release of the soldiers, unharmed. Since the clash, armies of both countries have spoken thrice, with Major General-level talks happening on Wednesday and Thursday.
The showdown also took diplomatic tones with New Delhi telling Beijing it needs to take corrective measures. In a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said China planned the attack. While both sides suffered casualties, China hasn't released an official number yet. Reports pegged the death toll at over 30. China said it didn't want more clashes.
