China lost 42 soldiers in Galwan Valley clash, not 4: Australian newspaper

Chinese Peoples Liberation Army lost 42 soldiers not four during the Galwan Valley clashes with the Indian troops in Eastern Ladakh claims The Klaxon an Australian newspaper on Thursday The clashes took place on June 15 2020The Indian security establishments remained silent over the claims made by the Australian newspaper reportThe report filed by Editor Anthony Klan makes such claims citing a report of a group of social media researchersThe newspaper states that evidence provided by a group of social media researchers which The Klaxon has independently built on appears to support claims that Chinas casualties extended well beyond the four soldiers named by BeijingIt also shows extreme lengths Beijing has gone to in order to silence discussion about the battle in particular discussion about the true number of Chinese casualtiesThe report citing the researchers states that the deadly June 15 battle was sparked over a temporary bridge which Indian soldiers had erected across a stream of the Galwan River three weeks earlier on May 22The report stated that the Indian and Chinese military officials had agreed to a buffer zone along the border in an attempt to deescalate the crisis amid rising tensionsIt states that despite creation of a buffer zone China had been building illegal infrastructure inside the zone including erecting tents and creating dugouts and had moved heavy machinery into the areaAccording to a Weibo user alias name Qiang who claims to have served in the area the PLA was creating infrastructure in this buffer zone violating the mutual agreement and had been trying to expand its patrolling limits within the buffer zone since April 2020 the researchers state in the newspaperThe report states On June 6 80 PLA soldiers came to dismantle the bridge and nearly 100 troops came to defend itThe paper citing the report states that during the June 6 standoff officers from both sides agreed to withdraw all personnel who crossed the buffer zone line and to dismantle all the facilities that crossed the lineHowever the report says China failed to adhere to the agreementPLA did not adhere to its promise and instead of dismantling its own infrastructure as agreed upon secretly dismantled the river crossing bridge constructed by the Indian army it saysThree days later on June 15 Colonel Santosh and his troops returnedThe Chinese forces were led by Colonel Qi FabaoOn 15th June 2020 Col Santosh Babu along with his troops went to the disputed area in the Galwan Valley at night in an attempt to remove the Chinese encroachment where Col Qi Fabao was present along with nearly 150 soldiers the report statesIt says that Fabao ordered his troops to form a battle formation instead of discussing the issue on the lines of mutual consent made at the June 6 meetingThe report says that the moment Col Fabao attacked he was immediately besieged by the Indian army troopsTo rescue him PLA battalion commander Chen Hongjun and soldier Chen Xiangrong entered the encirclement of Indian army and started a physical scuffle with Indian troops using steel pipes sticks and stones to provide cover for their commander to escapeIndias Colonel Santosh Babu was killed in the fightingIt further cited several Weibo users states at least 38 PLA troops along with Wang were washed away and drowned that night of which only Wang was declared among the four officially dead soldiersAfter the incident the bodies of the soldiers were first taken to Shiquanhe Martyr Cemetery followed by local ceremonies at the local towns of the killed soldiers the report statesIndia had maintained that 20 soldiers were killed during the incidentThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever