Picture of Chinese soldier's tombstone goes viral on social media, speaks of Chinese PLA losses in Galwan Valley clash

A picture of a Chinese soldier's grave killed in Galwan valley is going viral on social media. The picture of a tombstone identifying a Chinese soldier was shared on Chinese social media platform and is perhaps the first possible evidence of any Chinese casualty in violent Glawan valley clash on June 15.

The image was shared on a military forum describing in detail about the tombstone of the soldier, identified as Chen Xiangrong. The picture gained traction in India with many Twitter users sharing it widely.

Written in Mandarin, the epitaph reads, "Tomb of Chen Xiangro. Soldier of the 69316 troops, from Pingnan, Fujian. He sacrificed his life in the struggle against India’s border troops in June 2020 and was posthumously remembered by the Central Military Commission." The tombstone also says that the soldier who was KIA was born in December 2001 and was just 19-year-old.

Reports are there that the Chinese soldier who put a photo of the tomb has been sent to jail by the Xi Jinping government of China.

So far, there has been no response from the Chinese government or the Army on the existence of the alleged tombstone, whose picture has gone viral on social media. 

At least 20 Indian soldiers, including the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar infantry regiment Colonel B Santosh Babu, lost their lives in the PLA ambush. 

The India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh started in early May and the deadlock continues with heavy mobilisation on both sides despite several rounds of disengagement talks between both sides.