Social media platforms on Tuesday evening were awash with videos of the Indian Armed Forces thrashing the Chinese PLA troops. Several users reposted the video claiming it was from the recent scuffle between Indian and Chinese armed forces in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang.
300+ Chinese soldiers #Vs Approx 100 Indian soldiers. #Tawang witnessed the bravery of Indian Army.
— Baba Banaras™ (@RealBababanaras) December 13, 2022
Loving this clip. #JaiHindKiSena #IndianArmy #LAC #TawangClash #ArunachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/CPTToTsitA
The video shows a contingent of Indian Army personnel beating the living daylights out of the intruding Chinese PLA forces. Several other social media users shared the viral video claiming that it was from the December 9 incident between the armies of the two countries.
Trailer from #Tawang released by Indian Army.
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) December 13, 2022
Full movie will release soon from Aksai Chin. pic.twitter.com/GGgdCUMOWK
#IndianArmy captured Chinese PLA Army Inside A Barbed Wire, Then Beating Shit Outta 5 Foot Chinese PLA.
— Gunjan kumar (@GunjanxD) December 13, 2022
➡️Video of Indian Army clashing with China’s PLA in #Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
➡️Indian Army Jat & Sikh Regiment giving befitting reply to #China pic.twitter.com/vrfhqrmx7N
Warning- graphic 🤬. Those who understand Punjabi will really love the colourful language. Really love the way, our Glorious Indian Army bravehearts rogered the Chinese. JAK Rifles, Sikh LI & Jat Regiment- units involved in Tawang clash. PLA’s nightmare 😂🙏🏻#CKMKB pic.twitter.com/RFqp7oSUsq
— Veer (@VeerHindu0612) December 13, 2022
While netizens claimed that the undated video shared on social media is from the recent skirmishes between the Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in the Tawang sector, the clip is likely from another clash along the border.
Is the viral video from the December 9 clashes between Indian and Chinese forces?
Journalist Shiv Aroor took cognisance of the old video and issued a clarification over the attendant claims. Aroor tweeted the video, saying that while it is not clear when the video is from, it is certainly not from the December 9 incident.
An undated video of a clash between Indian & Chinese soldiers being shared widely in the context of the Tawang incident. Not clear where or when this video is from, but clearly not from Dec 9 incident. Don’t remember seeing it before though. OSINT/Experts? pic.twitter.com/aAKOeNlBBa
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) December 13, 2022
Another Twitter user, Major Amit Bansal (Retd), a geostrategic expert, responded to Arror’s tweet saying that it was an old video as the area around the Yangtze, where the recent clashes took place, remains in the snow during this time of the year.
Old video..
— Major Amit Bansal (Retd) (@majoramitbansal) December 13, 2022
Area around Yangtze is covered in snow these days.
Journalist Aditya Raj Kaul called the video of Indian Army personnel thrashing the Chinese PLA interesting but added that the video is likely old. He, however, added that the video is from a similar area and post-Galwan 2020 clash.
Interesting video of Indian forces thwarting Chinese PLA attempts to enter Indian territory at the LAC. This is an undated video. Location unknown. It doesn’t seem to be of Tawang incident in Arunachal but definitely from similar area and post 2020 Galwan clash. Watch now 👇 pic.twitter.com/e5mra6DK9t
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 13, 2022
He further cited a source, whom he believes to be trustworthy, to confirm that the video is from the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. While the date of the video remains unclear, he added, the helmets and the deployment revealed that it is from Tawang. Kaul further quoted locals as saying that China has been attempting incursions regularly for years.
“On an average, there are 7-8 aggressive transgressions by the Chinese PLA in Tawang every year between May and October. Ongoing since last four decades. Indian troops were less in strength earlier as compared to PLA. Alert Indian troops are now equal to PLA since last few years,” Kaul said in a subsequent tweet.
Indian and Chinese PLA soldiers face off at Arunachal LAC
Clashes broke out between the Indian and Chinese troops on December 9 in the border area of the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh, an official statement by the Defence Ministry of India said.
The Chinese PLA reportedly contacted the LAC in the Tawang sector, which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner that led to a stand-off between the two sides. Though both sides immediately disengaged from the area after the clashes, the Chinese PLA suffered more injuries than the Indian Army troopers.
A report by India Today confirmed that around 200 Chinese soldiers were involved in the attack. As per the report, the Chinese PLA came heavily prepared with spiked clubs with nails on them, monkey fists (a crude weapon made of iron that is worn on the wrist), and taser guns and sticks.
The PLA troop was challenged by a group of roughly 50 Indian soldiers who confronted them and stopped their advances in a location. According to a report by The Print’s Snehesh Alex Philip, a backup Indian squad arrived at the location within a half-hour, following which a clash ensued. According to sources cited by the media outlet, this conflict began with stone-pelting before troops from both sides engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
