NEW DELHI: The Line of Actual Control (LAC) has been in the news for all the wrong reasons for the last four months. But it was a different story on Thursday as soldiers of the Indian Army came to the rescue of three stranded Chinese along the LAC in Sikkim and helped them return safely.
The Army said, "Soldiers extended a helping hand to three Chinese citizens who lost their way in the Plateau area of North Sikkim at an altitude of 17,500 feet on 03 September 2020."
The Army was prompt in order to protect them from the vagaries of extreme altitude and harsh climatic conditions. "Realising the danger to the lives of the Chinese citizens who included two men and one woman in sub zero temperatures, the soldiers immediately reached out and provided medical assistance including oxygen, food and warm clothes."
The plateau area of North Sikkim is relatively very flat and there are a large number of natural surface tracks in the area. Also, very few people live near the 220 km long International Border of Sikkim, so if one loses one's way it is difficult to find any support on the ground, said an Army officer.
The Indian and Chinese Armies have been locked in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh after a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley on June 15 in which both sides suffered casualties.
The Indian troops also gave the Chinese appropriate guidance to reach their destination after which they moved back. The Chinese citizens expressed their gratitude to India and the Indian Army for their prompt assistance.