PLA plane ‘conducted reconnaissance’ in middle sector in UP, HP, U’khand

PLA soldiers practising during a drill at a military base in China. At least 20 to 25 Chinese troops had entered the demilitarised area in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand earlier this month. — Reuters file photo

New Delhi, July 31

Ahead of its transgression in Barahoti area of Uttarakhand, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had conducted a reconnaissance mission using aircraft armed with the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which provides broad-area imaging at high resolutions.According to official sources, the TupolovTu 153M aircraft carried out two to three sorties earlier this year in the middle sector falling in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Officials said at least three sorties of the plane, designed by Chinese companies on the basis of technology from the erstwhile USSR, were carried out in the last three months.The aircraft flies at an altitude of above 40,000 feet and can go up to 60,000 feet to avoid detection by radars and can click pictures and other cyber and communication signatures at that height. It has an SAR which can provide high-resolution pictures even in inclement weather or in night time.At least 20 to 25 Chinese troops had entered the demilitarised area in Barahoti pastures in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand earlier this month, besides flying its helicopters in the Indian air space for over five minutes.Sources said an Indian civilian team was sent back by PLA troops, who claimed it to be their land and recognised it as ‘Wu-Je’. A Chinese helicopter of the Zhiba series hovered over the ground for nearly five minutes. It was apprehended that it could have carried out aerial photography.Barahoti is one of the three border posts where ITBP jawans are not allowed to take weapons as per the unilateral decision of the then government in June 2000. — PTI