Indian Army Colonel and 19 soldiers martyrs in violent confrontation with Chinese troops

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="768"]India china border Representation image, photo-PTI[/caption]

A Colonel of the Indian Army and 19 soldiers were martyred in a violent confrontation with Chinese troops on Monday night in the valley of eastern Ladakh. The army officials gave this information.

This is the first incident of such martyrdom of Indian armed forces personnel after nearly 45 years on the China border. The soldiers were attacked with stones, iron rods and sticks. According to the army, the officers and soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment were waiting that the Chinese army would retreat half kilometers from the patrolling point (PP 14) under the agreement of the recent Army Commander level talks.

On Monday evening, Colonel Santosh, Havaldar Palani and Jawan Kundan Ojha went to talk on behalf of the Indian Army. During the conversation on the process of de-escalation, Chinese soldiers became furious and attacked the Indian contingent. All three fell seriously injured there.

After this, there was a skirmish between the Indian and Chinese soldiers present there, in which sticks, iron rods, stones were used. The Indian Army initially confirmed the martyrdom of Colonel Santosh Babu, Havildar Palani and Jawan Kundan Ojha.

On Monday night, an official statement was issued by the army saying, "17 other soldiers who were seriously injured while on duty have died." The number of martyred soldiers has increased to 20. The statement said, 'The soldiers of both the armies have withdrawn from the place where the skirmish between Indian and Chinese soldiers took place on 15/16 June 2020 in Galwan valley region.

The Army said, 'The Indian Army is strongly committed to protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. Colonel Santosh Babu, a martyr of 16 Bihar Regiment, was a resident of Suryapet in Telangana. Shri Santosh took command on December 2, 2019.