The People’s Liberation Army continues to needle Indian forces all along the unresolved Line of Actual Control — from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh — despite the “good atmospherics” generated during the recent visits of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to New Delhi and defence minister A K Antony to Beijing.
In yet another incursion in south-east Ladakh, a PLA patrol crossed over into Indian territory in the crucial Chumar post area and took away an Indian surveillance camera after dismantling it on June 17. The camera was returned only on July 3 after the Army and ITBP lodged a strong protest during a flag meeting at Spanggur Gap in the Chushul sector on June 19.
The Chumar post on the Ladakh-Himachal Pradesh border was the bone of contention even during the 21-day military face-off in April-May, which saw the two rival armies pitching tents and indulging in banner drills after PLA troops intruded 19 km into the Indian territory in the Depsang Bulge area of the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector.
Though Chumar is 250 km south of DBO, Indian observation posts and surveillance cameras there have for long irked the PLA since they can “look” inside Chinese territory and track troop movements.
In fact, the main pre-condition laid down by the PLA to withdraw from Depsang was that India should dismantle temporary bunkers it had constructed in Chumar.
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