Ladakh: Indian Army builds memorial near Daulat Beg Oldi for our 20 martyrs of Galwan Valley clash

Leh-Ladakh: Nearly four months after the horrific clash at Galwan Valley along the Line of Control, a memorial has been set up near the international border remembering our 20 brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

The memorial has been built for the 20 Indian Army jawans who lost their lives in action against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in Galwan Valley on the intervening night of June 15-16 after evicting them from an observation post near the Y-junction area there under ‘Operation Snow Leopard’.

The memorial has been built at the unit level near the KM-120 post on the strategic road connecting Durbuk, Shyok and Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh. It has the names of all 20 soldiers and the details of the June 15 operation.

“On June 15, 2020 at Galwan Valley, Col B Santosh Babu Commanding Officer, 16 Bihar led the Quick Reaction Force of 16 Bihar and attached troops tasked to evict the PLA OP from Gen AY Nala and move further to Patrolling Point 14. The column successfully evicted the PLA OP from Y Nala and reached PP 14 where a fierce skirmish broke out between the IA and PLA troops. Col B Santosh Babu led from the front and his troops fought gallantly in a hand to hand combat, causing heavy casualties to the PLA. In the ensuing fight twenty "Gallants of Galwan" achieved martyrdom,” details on the memorial wall says.

India and China have been at loggerheads ever since the PLA made provocative advances along the LAC near eastern Ladakh leading to a war-like standoff since April-May over. The Chinese Army made multiple incursions along the international border, including the Finger areas, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, and Kongrung Nala.

The Galwan Valley incident was the most violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in decades.