New Delhi: Chinese troops reportedly transgressed one kilometre into the Indian territory in the Barahoti area of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on July 25 and threatened Indian shepherds grazing cattle.
Barahoti, an 80 sq km sloping pasture about 140 km from Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, is one of three border posts in what is known as the “middle sector”, comprising Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It is a demilitarised zone where Indo-Tibetan Border Police jawans are not allowed to take their weapons, officials said.
Mostly, Indian shepherds and Tibetans, who bring their yaks for grazing, use the Barahoti pasture.
According to reports, in 1958, India and China listed Barahoti as a disputed area where neither side would send their troops. After the war, ITBP jawans would patrol the area with weapons in a non-combative manner.
In June 2000, during negotiations on resolving the border dispute, India unilaterally said that ITBP troops would not carry arms in three posts — Barahoti, Kauril and Shipki in Himachal Pradesh.
