Ladakh: The PLA soldier, who was apprehended by the Indian army for straying across the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh on January 8 this year, has been handed back to China at Chushul - Moldo on Monday.
According to officials, the soldier was handed back to China Army at around 10 AM this morning.
The soldier of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was apprehended at the southern bank of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh on Friday morning after he transgressed across the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The capture of the Chinese soldier comes in the midst of an eight-month-long bitter border standoff between the two armies in eastern Ladakh.
Troops from both sides are deployed along the LAC since the friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilisation and forward concentration by Chinese troops.
"The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC and was taken into custody by Indian troops deployed in this area. Troops from either side are deployed along the LAC since friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilisation and forward concentration by Chinese troops," the Army said in a statement on Saturday.
Notably, China on Saturday called for the immediate return of the soldier.
(with inputs from PTI)
