An undated video showing Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel and Indian Army soldiers at Pangong lake, with a captive Chinese soldier is being shared claiming it is the recent attack in Galwan Valley between the Indian and Chinese army on June 15.
The video shows personnel from ITBP and Indian army soldiers shouting while fending off a stone pelting from the Chinese side. It also shows the Indian soldiers smashing a Chinese Dongfeng (HUMVEE like armored vehicle) while a few of them have pinned a Chinese army soldier to the ground who can be seen injured and bleeding. The video starts with the soldier recording the video saying, "This is China Army...this unconscious man" and later shows clashes between the two sides with stones being pelted from both sides.
The video is being shared in the days following an escalation in tensions between the two sides at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley in Ladakh on the night of June 15, 2020. According to a report by the Economic Times, 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives and several others suffered injuries. China People's Liberation Army (PLA) is also said to have suffered casualties, though the numbers still remain unclear, with no official release from the government.
ALSO READ: 20 Indian Soldiers Killed In India-China Clash In Galwan Valley
The 2.20 minute video is being shared with the caption, "Chinese vehicle and a soldier captured in Ladakh. Spread this in all your groups and with your friends, so that people don't ask for the proof later."
(VIDEO CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE)
FACT-CHECK
The video has been viral on social media since May 31, when the reports about rising tensions between India and China were being reported. The video was then being shared on WhatsApp with a caption in Hindi that translates to, "Indian Army finally beat up Chinese army. The man held captive in the video, is a Chinese soldier and the vehicle standing also belongs to China."
(Original Hindi text -भारतीय सेना ने आखिर कर ही दी चीन की सेना की पिटाई, वीडियो मे जिसे सेना के जवानों ने दबाया हुआ है वो चीन का सैनिक है और सामने जो गाड़ी खड़ी है वो भी चीन की है|)
We also received the video with the same caption on our Helpline number (7700906111) asking if it was verified.
We also found a Facebook post uploaded on May 31, 2020 with the same above mentioned Hindi text. This post was a longer version of the same incident and shows the Indian army also retaliating with stones.
While the video went viral, the Indian Army denied the incident and said there was no violence being reported currently. A tweet by ANI on May 31 quoted the Army on the video as saying, "It has been brought to our notice that a video is doing rounds on social media on an incident on borders. Contents of video being circulated aren't authenticated. Attempt to link it with situation on Northern borders is malafide. Currently, no violence is happening: Indian Army"
It has been brought to our notice that a video is doing rounds on social media on an incident on borders. Contents of video being circulated aren't authenticated. Attempt to link it with situation on Northern borders is malafide. Currently, no violence is happening: Indian Army pic.twitter.com/HQfxQxQ7eV
— ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2020
Several media outlets too carried reports on May 31, hours after the video went viral, describing it and also reporting on the denial issued by the Indian army.
BOOM could not independently verify the date of the viral video but posts show it has been viral since May 31, before the attacks at Galwan valley on June 15.