Srinagar, September 8: Chinese military has claimed that Indian troops crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the southern banks of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh and fired warning shots, calling it a serious “provocation of bad nature”.

The Indian side, however, denied the charges and put the entire blame on China claiming it “continues to undertake provocative activities to escalate”.

“The Indian troops crossed the LAC at the western section of the China-India border into the Shenpao mountain region near the southern bank of Pangong Tso Lake, said Senior Colonel Zhang Shuili,” a spokesperson of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command, in a statement released on Tuesday.

During its operation, the Indian army outrageously fired warning shots at Chinese border defense patrol personnel who were attempting to negotiate, which is a serious military provocation and is very vile in nature, and the Chinese border defense troops were forced to take countermeasures to stabilize the situation, Zhang said.

Calling it a “serious provocation of a very bad nature”, China said, “We request the Indian side to immediately stop dangerous actions”.

India also released statement

While denying all chargesm, India blamed china for “undertaking provocative activities” along LAC.

“India, while is committed to disengagement and de-escalating the situation on the LAC, China continues to undertake provocative activities to escalate,” India Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement.

“At no stage has the Indian Army transgressed across the LAC or resorted to use of any aggressive means, including firing”.

The MOD stated that it was the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres, while engagement at military, diplomatic and political level is in progress.

“In the instant case on 07 September 2020, it was the PLA troops who were attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops. However, despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner,” MoD said in a statement.

“The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility, however is also determined to protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs. The statement by the Western Theatre Command is an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience.”

Tensions rising

The tensions have been mounting between India and China in eastern Ladakh.

Earlier, Indian army has accused Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of violating the consensus and carried out provocative military movement to change status quo in Eastern Ladakh.

“On the Night of 29/30 August 2020, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo,” army said in a statement.

China, however rebutted the Indian army statement, saying, “Indian army illegally crossed the Line of Actual Control on Monday, a provocative move that violated the previous consensus and urges the Indian side to withdraw its forces”

Both India and China have held several rounds of military talks involving the senior commanders to draw plans for the disengagement of troops after June 15.

On June 15, around 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives during clashes with the Chinese army in the Galwan valley region in eastern Ladakh,.