Indian territory intruded by Chinese soldiers on horses and ponies

Around 50 Chinese soldiers riding on horses and ponies, intruded into the Indian territory of Chumar in Ladakh on July 16 staking their claim over the area.

According to reports, the Chinese troops started their incursion in the Chumar area on the evening of July 16 and they remained in the Indian area till the morning of July 17.

Army sources confirmed the incursion saying that Indian troops had intercepted the PLA patrol in the Chumar area and after the usual banner drill between the two sides, the PLA patrol went back into their territory.

Sources said the intruding Chinese soldiers asked the Indian soldiers to vacate the area claiming that they were standing in Chinese territory.

According to media reports, two Chinese Army helicopters violated Indian airspace on July 11 in the Chumar sector in Ladakh, days after their soldiers intruded and took away an Indian surveillance camera.

However, army sources played down the incident, claiming the two People's Liberation Army (PLA) choppers were only flying close to the Indian airspace and had not entered inside our territory.

The latest incursion took place on the day when India gave approval to the creation of a 50,000-strong Mountain Strike Corps along the border with China.

Chumar has seen a number of incursion incidents in the recent past including an incident on June 17 where Chinese troops took away an Army surveillance camera meant for keeping an eye on the PLA troops patrolling there.