The Indian troops deployed in the area of face-off on Friday in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector gave a befitting response to the Chinese troops and the number of Chinese soldiers injured in the clash is more than the Indian soldiers, sources said on Monday.

Sources said the Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but did not expect the Indian side also to be well prepared. The Chinese troops came armed with spiked clubs with nails on them, monkey fists and taser guns.

The Chinese were challenged by a group of about 50 Indian soldiers who stopped the PLA advance in an area that saw a similar clash in October 2021. 

Within half an hour, the Indian backup team arrived at the spot, following which a clash ensued. This clash, according to sources, started off with stone pelting before troops from both sides engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

Sources said that while the Indian troops were not armed with taser guns, they had “everything and more than what the Chinese had” to be able to retaliate.

Sources said that the PLA troops suffered more injuries since the Indian troops had managed to overwhelm the Chinese strength within 30 minutes. At least 15 Indian personnel were injured in the clash, including those who suffered fractures. It has come to light that the Chinese were trying to gain ‘morale superiority’ since there was a change of a particular unit of the Army deployed along front areas on the Indian side at the time.

The sources said earlier that the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector led to minor injuries to few personnel from both sides and noted that both sides immediately disengaged from the area.

They said on December 9, 2022, PLA troops contacted the LAC in Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner.

They said as a follow-up of the incident, India’s Commander in the area held a Flag Meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity.

The sources said that in certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh there are areas of differing perception, wherein both sides patrol the area upto their claim lines. This has been the trend since 2006. 

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