Chinese yaks stray onto Indian side, held by villagers in eastern Ladakh
“There should be a proper mechanism to return; we also lost our yaks to the Chinese side a few years back and didn’t get back,” says Councillor of Demchok, Konchok Stanzin
Chinese yaks in Indian territory. Screenshot from video shared by Konchok Stanzin, Councillor of Demchok, Ladakh.
| Photo Credit: X/@kstanzinladakh
Around 40 Chinese yaks ventured into the Indian territory in the Demchok area of eastern Ladakh and are in the control of the villagers there. The Councillor of Demchok, Konchok Stanzin, said this on social media, and was also confirmed by sources in the security establishment.
“As per villagers’ sources, 40 Chinese yaks are found in the Indian territory valley called DzomoLung Demchok. They are under Demchok villager’s control. There should be a proper mechanism to return; we also lost our yaks to the Chinese side a few years back and didn’t get back,” Mr. Stanzin said on social media platform ‘X’.
Commenting on the incident, sources said the Yaks had been seized by the villagers as they ventured onto the Indian side and there had been no involvement by any security forces present in the area.
Grazing lands turning into buffer zones, says chief of village bordering LAC
Nomads from both sides have traditionally accessed their traditional grazing grounds across the LAC but on occasions Indian nomads were stopped by Chinese soldiers as they crossed on to the Chinese side.
“Our nomads of Demchok lost access to their grazing area Lungkar Valley in 2022 and Nilung Valley in 2017. Losing traditional grazing areas gradually affects the livelihood of border residents. What would be the alternative source of livelihood without livestock? Govt. must think,” Mr. Stanzin had said in the past on ‘X’.
Such incidents are commonplace and happen on both sides whenever graziers stray across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on account of differing perceptions of LAC, sources had stated earlier.
Demchok is one of the two mutually agreed disputed areas in eastern Ladakh with each side having varying claims in the Charding La area. China has set up tents on the Indian side of Charding nala couple of years before the 2020 stand-off and the presence expanded as the stand-off unfolded in April 2020.
Since the Corps commander-level talks in 2020, the two sides have so far undertaken disengagement from five friction points — Galwan, North and South Banks of Pangong Tso, Patrolling Points (PP) 15 and 17A in the Gogra-Hot Springs area. The last several rounds of talks have stalled over disengagement from Depsang Plains and Demchok, with China insisting that they predate the 2020 stand-off.
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