With the Doklam standoff still ongoing, it has emerged that Chinese troops had entered Indian territory in Uttarakhand close to a week ago.
Chinese border guards entered one kilometre into Indian territory and threatened shepherds grazing cattle in the Barahoti area of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, official sources told PTI
The incident took place on the morning of July 25 when a group of shepherds were asked to vacate the land by troops of the People's Liberation Army, officials in the know said on the condition of anonymity.
The incident comes in the backdrop of a standoff between Chinese and Indian troops at Dokalam near Sikkim.
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News agency ANI quotes sources saying that Chinese soldiers transgressed into Uttarakhand's Barahoti on 25 July at about 9 a.m. and ventured between 800m to 1 km into Indian territory.
Quoting sources later, ANI said that "Media carrying reports about Chinese intrusion in Barahoti, similar incidents have happened in past but are normally sorted out locally".
Barahoti, an 80 sq km sloping pasture about 140 km from the Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, is one of three border posts in what is known the 'middle sector', comprising Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
It is a demilitarised zone where Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans are not allowed to take their weapons, officials said.
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In 1958, India and China listed Barahoti as a disputed area where neither side would send their troops. In the 1962 war, the PLA did not enter the middle sector and focused on the western (Ladakh) and eastern (Arunachal Pradesh) sectors.
After the war, ITBP jawans would patrol the area with weapons in a non-combative manner -- with the barrel of the gun facing down.
During negotiations on resolving the border dispute, the Indian side unilaterally agreed in June 2000 that ITBP troops would not carry arms in three posts, Barahoti and Kauril and Shipki in Himachal Pradesh.
ITBP men go patrolling in civil dress and the Barahoti pasture sees Indian shepherds from border villages tending their sheep and people from Tibet bringing their yaks for grazing.
In the past, Chinese troops have been known to cross over and write 'China' on rocks in the Chamoli district.
This area has also seen aerial transgressions and infiltration by foot patrols in 2013 and 2014.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has the confidence and capability to defeat all invading enemies as he inspected a massive military parade at the country's largest military base to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the 2.3-million strong army.
Xi also said the PLA should strictly follow the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and "march to wherever the Party points to."
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"I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies," said Xi, who heads the Central Military Commission, which holds the overall command of the PLA - the world's largest army.
With Agency Inputs
