SRINAGAR, held Kashmir: Tensions between India and China escalated after their soldiers yelled and hurled stones at each other in the Himalayas here.
Indian officials claimed that Chinese soldiers hurled stones while attempting to enter Ladakh region near Pangong Lake on Tuesday before confronting their Indian counterparts.
The officials claimed that Indian soldiers retaliated but neither side used guns.
However, China did not comment directly on the reported incident, but called on India to comply with earlier agreements and help maintain peace and stability along the border.
An Indian officer alleged the confrontation occurred after Indian soldiers ‘intercepted a Chinese patrol that veered into Indian-held territory’ after apparently it lost its way due to bad weather.
He said that soon the soldiers from both sides began shouting at each other and later threw stones, receiving minor injuries.
The troops from both sides retreated to their positions after a brief but violent face off.
The latest incident comes amid an ongoing dispute between the two sides over a strategic Himalayan plateau thousands of kilometres away where hundreds of Indian and Chinese soldiers have been facing off against each other for more than two months.
The border trouble began in June when Chinese soldiers started to extend a road through the Doklam territory ─ known as “Donglang” in Chinese.
The area is disputed between China and Bhutan.
India, a close ally of Bhutan, then deployed troops to stop the construction project, prompting Beijing to accuse India of trespassing on Chinese soil.
China has said India must withdraw its troops before any proper negotiation takes place. India said both sides should withdraw their forces together.
