PLA soldier who strayed across LAC returned

NEW DELHI: A Chinese soldier apprehended by the Indian Army on January 8 after he strayed across the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC), was on Monday returned to the Chinese authorities, army officials familiar with the development said.

The soldier was caught near the southern bank of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh last week amid the ongoing border standoff between the two sides. He was returned to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point at 10.10 am, the officials said, requesting anonymity.

China had on Saturday demanded that soldier be returned immediately. The Chinese authorities said the soldier “went astray” along the IndiaChina border due to “darkness and complicated geography.”

This is the second time a Chinese soldier was held by the Indian Army after crossing into Indian territory since the border row erupted last May.

Heights on both banks of the lake have been at the centre of the border row between the two countries. The PLA soldier was dealt with according to procedures, and circumstances under which he crossed the LAC were investigated.

In October 2020, the Indian Army had apprehended a Chinese soldier in the Demchok sector after he strayed across the LAC. The army identified the soldier as Corporal Wang Ya Long. It then said it had received a request from the PLA enquiring about the whereabouts of the missing soldier.

Corporal Wang was provided medical assistance including oxygen, food and warm clothes. The soldier was returned to the Chinese side after investigations and formalities were completed.