External Affairs Ministry denies Chinese firing across LAC

New Delhi, Sep.15 (ANI): A spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday denied a media report about two ITBP jawans being injured due to firing from across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"A media report about two ITBP jawans having been injured due to firing from across the LAC (Line of Actual Control) has come to notice. The report is factually incorrect," said the MEA spokesman.

The denial comes after intelligence sources had revealed that two jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, were injured in bullets fired from the Chinese side.

This was the first incident where bullets have been fired since the landmark 1996 Sino-India agreement in which both sides pledged not to open fire, no matter what the provocation, as a part of confidence-building measures.

The firing reportedly took place in Kerang in northern Sikkim a fortnight ago but has been kept under wraps. It was confirmed on Monday by a highly-placed intelligence source, Times Now reports.

Sources cited this as yet another instance of China's maintaining pressure on the 2.1 sq km area of 'Finger Point' in northern Sikkim. Last year, China had sent a vehicle-mounted patrol into this area, penetrating 1 km into Indian Territory. (ANI)