India-China Conflict: ITBP on high alert in Galwan valley

Force Director General SS Deswal on Tuesday briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the ground situation in the Galwan valley and other points where the PLA has breached the Line of Actual Control(LAC).

Sources said the Himalayan border guarding force has also been positioned at many places on LAC in coordination with Indian Army.

Reinforcement of the force is also underway to deal with any eventuality.

ITBP has been guarding the Ladakh areas round the year along with Indian Army hence is well aware of the topography of the mountainous terrain. Therefore, it was decided to keep the Himalayan border guarding force deployed in the Galwan valley.

So far, the Force has been engaged in rescue and evacuation of Army’s personnel who were injured during the brutal attacked by the PLA.

The Force has already moved out troops from various Battalions and kept in readiness for deployment in the Ladakh region.

More Army troops and ITBP personnel were moved to the LAC in Eastern Ladakh where the Indian and Chinese armies have been in a state of standoff since early May.

On the intervening night of June 15-16, the People’s Liberation Army assault team reportedly armed with iron rods and baton wrapped in barbed wire attacked the Indian soldiers when the neighbouring Army’s unit refused to vacate the disputed site.

Three Army personnel of 16 Bihar Regiment, including its Commanding Officer Santosh Babu were martyred on the spot while 17 other injured troopers succumbed to their injuries because of protracted exposure to sub-zero temperature.

ITBP is mandated to guard the 3488 KM ling border with Indo- China border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Dhiphu La in Arunachal Pradesh.