Army sources said that after the clash, surveillance showed that over 40 stretchers were deployed on the Chinese side as well to carry away personnel. “It is not known how many are dead or seriously injured but the stretchers are an indication that many were unable to leave the site of the clash on their own,” a source said

by Manu Pubby

New Delhi: Indian soldiers who received injuries in the violent clash at Galwan valley on Monday night are being treated at a military hospital at Leh and are all out of danger, army sources said, adding that over 40 stretchers carrying away the incapacitated were observed on the Chinese side after the incident.

Officials said that 76 Indian soldiers are undergoing treatment—18 were seriously injured and undergoing treatment at the military hospital while the remaining 58 received minor injuries and would return to duty in a few days.

Army sources said that after the clash, surveillance showed that over 40 stretchers were deployed on the Chinese side as well to carry away personnel. “It is not known how many are dead or seriously injured but the stretchers are an indication that many were unable to leave the site of the clash on their own,” a source said.

More details have emerged on the primitive attack by Chinese troops on a patrol party being led by Col Santosh Babu of the 16 Bihar to check on the planned disengagement near Patrol Point 14 in the Galwan valley.

Sources said the attack seems to have been planned well in advance, possibly with the help of surveillance drones that picked out the movement of the Indian patrol party.

Besides sticks laced with barbed wire, Chinese soldiers ambushed the Indian patrol party from dominating heights and pushed down bounders and stones on the troops. While the Colonel was struck down at the beginning of the fight in hand to hand combat, additional troops were moved in by both sides as the situation escalated.

According to one version, over 150 Indian troops were involved in the pitched battle that lasted for several hours into the night against an 800 strong force of Chinese soldiers.

“The Chinese side was lying in wait for the Indian patrol party and it is now clear that this was a pre-planned ambush. The act of violence took place on Indian territory when the party had gone to check on the promised de-escalation by the Chinese side after talks,” a source said.