Kinnaur: Amid the on-going border tensions between India and China, Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur has been put on high alert. The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has stepped up the vigil along the border areas of Kinnaur to prevent any untoward incident.
Himachal shares about 260 km of a porous border with China, of which 180 km is in Kinnaur while 80 km is in Lahaul and Spiti districts.
The border villages in tribal Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur districts in Himachal Pradesh are now tense over the last few days after the buildup of Indian and Chinese forces on the Line of Actual Control.
In addition to putting border regions on alert, the Himachal Pradesh Police has also activated all secret agencies to remain on standby.
China’s People’s Liberation Army is also reportedly increasing its activities along the villages bordering HP. Units have been deployed at Shipki La village and in Tunzuk, a small town on the border.
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Kinnaur DC, Gopalchand said, "Himachal villages sharing border with China has been put on high alert. Inner line permit check post has been established in Spuwa and security forces have been deployed. With these tight security arrangements, people will not be allowed to enter villages Shalkar, Tashigang, Pooh, and Dubling without permission."
He added, "Earlier, tourists took permission to enter these villages due to the presence of check post in Dubling. But now the check post has been stretched to one kilometre from Akpa to Dubling. People have to take permission to enter the villages that are in close proximity to China."
China is continuously engaged in massive troop-building and is in a no mood to de-escalate its troops along the borders. This has bred suspicion among Indian policymakers that China were not to be taken at their word.