Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has called for a factual assessment of reports alleging a fresh Chinese military intrusion near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Taksing area of Upper Subansiri district.
Khandu said on Friday that the state government would verify the allegations in consultation with the Indian Army and residents of the frontier region before making any definitive statement.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, the chief minister said he had invited representatives of the Nah Welfare Society (NWS), which raised the latest allegations, and would personally seek clarity on the matter. He also said he would discuss the reports with the Army.
Khandu expressed confidence in the Indian Army’s ability to secure the country’s frontier and said the government would establish the facts before commenting further on the reported developments.
The issue came to the fore after the Nah Welfare Society alleged that Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel had moved close to Yaja and Togo villages in the Taksing circle, an area situated near the LAC.
NWS chairman Keru Chader claimed that Chinese personnel had moved through the Ollo stream and reached locations around 15 to 16 kilometres from the villages. The organisation described the alleged movement as a serious concern for communities living close to the international frontier.
However, there has been no official confirmation from the Indian Army or the Central government of any new Chinese incursion in the area.
The latest claims follow similar allegations raised by the Nah Welfare Society earlier this year. In June, the organisation approached the Upper Subansiri district administration with claims that Chinese forces had increased their presence around several areas of strategic importance, including Oying in the Asaphila region, Paniar, Marpan, Portrang and Tingdingtang.
The Indian Army subsequently rejected those claims, stating that they were not supported by facts and that there was no evidence of a fresh Chinese intrusion.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has also previously appealed to the public to exercise caution and avoid circulating information that has not been officially verified, while maintaining that security agencies are keeping a close watch on developments along the border.
Taksing, located in the remote Upper Subansiri district, is among Arunachal Pradesh’s strategically important frontier areas along the LAC with China. Given the sensitivity of the region, authorities are expected to verify the latest claims before reaching any conclusion about the alleged movement.
