”Ghatak’ and 16 Bihar troops took the fight to Chinese side, killed 18 PLAs in Hand to Hand combat

In the counter-attack following the killing of their commanding officer Colonel B Santosh Babu by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops in Ladakh’s Galwan valley, the jawans of 16 Bihar regiment, using the most “primitive fighting methods”, snapped the necks of at least 18 PLA troops and smashed their faces beyond recognition, reports Deccan Chronicle.

The jawans of 16 Bihar were reportedly joined by the ‘Ghatak’ troops. Together, they “unleashed a reign of terror, unheard in modern military history”, the report said. The PLA had a tough time handling the bodies of its soldiers, many of whose limbs were broken or severed, the report said citing inputs gathered from multiple sources.

Bodies of the slain PLA soldiers were scattered all over the ridge and nearby gorge.

According to the report, the “primitive fighting methods” by the Indian soldiers using stones, bayonets and sticks suggest they were merciless in their attack the moment their commanding officer fell.

Launching a counterattack, 60 Indian troops charged towards the PLA personnel.

As the word spread about Colonel’s death, the 16 Bihar men were said to have joined by the Ghatak troops.

The Ghatak commandoes are experts in close-quarter battle and spearhead assaults ahead of the battallion, the report said.

Both, 16 Bihar men and Ghatak troops together chased down at least 18 PLA troops.

“Some had their necks dangling from their bodies, while those whose faces were smashed with stones were beyond recognition,” sources were quoted in the report as saying.

The sources further said that Indian troops too were attacked brutally but the counter-attack by Indian soldiers was as brutal as it could get.

As they Avenged the death of their CO, the soldiers were chanting war-cries, they added.

The attack and counter-attack went on for over four hours. Few Indian troops snatched swords and rods from Chinese soldiers and used them against the enemy.

According to the sources quoted in the report, many PLA troops tried to escape and were chased by Indian soldiers. However, the chasing Indian troops ended up in PLA custody as their numbers multiplied.

These soldiers were among those who were released on Friday (19 June), the report said.