Ladakh, Kargil tense, more Army units deployed

Reports from Ladakh said that several rounds of meetings were held between local commanders at Galwan river valley.

Reports from Kargil and Ladakh have said that in the past three days, additional Army units were seen moving to far-off posts and hills as the standoff between Indian and Chinese forces was going on at four places in Ladakh. Locals told this reporter over telephone that in Kargil, in the past three days, there has been a lot of activity as soldiers were seen moving to posts and hills, while local shepherds were told to come down and at various passes, they were not allowed to move ahead to summer pastures.

Villagers from Kargil told local reporters that there is a lot of Army movement during the night hours and many local porters have been sent back by the Army to the villages. Media from Kashmir has not been allowed to move to the Union Territory of Ladakh and many teams of journalists were sent back by authorities. Locals said that in Kargil, all shepherds have now stopped and while coming back from the hills, they have described the situation as tense and claimed that the Army was moving into bunkers and into posts. They have seen them making new posts in various hilly areas of Kargil region.

Kargil has seen a limited war in 1999, when Pakistani intrusion was repulsed and many of the hill-tops were taken back. Most of these hill-tops in Kargil were taken over during the winters and even Kargil town was coming under direct attack from the intruders. Fearing that Kargil may heat up, the Army has moved additional forces into all vulnerable areas to plug any such possibility as the standoff in the Ladakh region is continuing.

Reports from Ladakh said that several rounds of meetings were held between local commanders at Galwan river valley. According to locals, Chinese troops first entered Galwan valley and remained there for several days and went back. They surprised the Army when they entered Pangong via three directions—four Fingers, Hot Spring and Galwan River—but the Chinese Army, according to these locals, has pitched in several kilometers inside at Galwan river valley and other places. There is no immediate resolution of the crises as Chinese troops have refused to move back to their old positions. Local reports said that more troops were being deployed at Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley, the two contentious areas where Chinese Army is learnt to have been going for massive build-up and alleged to have entered several kilometers inside. The Chinese Army wants complete halt on work for the road and bridge, especially around several key points, including Indian Post KM120 along the Darbuk-shayok-daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley. Many locals have claimed that it is a very serious war-like situation with massive Army build-up on both sides.

According to locals, Chinese troops were seen constructing barracks, bunkers and bringing heavy equipment into the Galwan valley area, while the Indian Army is also busy in fresh deployment in the area to meet the strength of the Chinese.

It is in place to mention that the situation worsened on 5 May, when scores of soldiers on both sides were injured after violent face-off which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to “disengage” following a meeting at the level of local commanders. But local reports said that even after the meeting, Chinese soldiers were only consolidating their position in the area, without showing any signs of pulling back from the disputed land.

Tashi Namgyal Yakzee, the councilor of Shyok village, told media on Friday that there is a lot of panic in the villages as it is war-like situation with heavy troop movement.

Mobile internet services have been snapped in and around Galwan valley, according to Namgyal Yakzee who added that all local porters have been disengaged by Army from the villages and sent back, triggering panic among the villagers.

Local villagers said that a lot of Chinese troops were seen pitching tents on this side and more troops were seen coming inside, especially along the Pangong lake area. Villagers in this entire belt of trouble are ready to move out and are waiting for the government to give them direction, as with each passing day, they feel that their lives are under threat.

Namgyal Yakzee told media that Indian Army was not allowing villagers in the lake area to move along with their animals for grazing. He said that most of the grazing lands have been taken over by Chinese Army in the past several years.

Dozens of villages in these areas of Ladakh are waiting for the government to either come out with a statement or visit the area so that they can take a decision of either remaining in the villages or moving out. With local porters also coming back to the villages after being disengaged by Army, the villagers fear the worst as they claim that during the night hours more Chinese troops move in with lights to pitch in.