Leh: Chinese troops are reported to have entered into Indian territory and destroyed some old Army bunkers and tents in Chumar division of Nyoma sector, about 300 kilometres from here.

While some reports suggested that the Chinese troops in helicopters entered one-and-a-half kilometres into Indian airspace, other reports said that the helicopters landed in Chinese territory and then the troops marched into the area to dismantle the bunkers, a move aimed at displaying that the area belonged to them.

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The Army denied that any such incident had taken place. But sources in the know said that two Chinese helicopters had entered into air space and landed one-and-half kilometres into the Indian territory at Chumar in Chingthang area of Tehsil Nyoma.

The Chinese troops attempted to dismantle an old army bunker, which was not used by the troops for long, the sources said. Another version quoted to eyewitnesses, who are often the grazers, said that Chinese helicopters landed near the Line of Actual Control and then marched in to destroy old bunkers of the army and tents of ITBP.

A report in this regard has been sent by the state government officials to their headquarters.

Udhampur-based Northern Command Army Spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said there was no such report of helicopter landing or destruction of bunkers. However, senior Army officials said that Chumar was an area were the LAC was not clearly demarcated and there was always a difference of perception in the area. Chinese troops had in July 2009 entered nearly 1.5 KM into Indian territory near Mount Gya, recognised as international border by India and China, and painted the boulders and rocks with red spray paint.

The incursions were reported from the area, generally referred in the Chumar sector in east of Leh, and painted "China" in Cantonese with Red spray paint all over the boulders and rocks.

On June 21 in 2009, a Chinese helicopter had entered the Indian airspace and is reported to have air-dropped canned food again at Chumar, which is northeast of Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.

PTI