Sikkim Clash: ‘Small’ Indian Lt Who Punched a ‘Big’ Chinese Major
By Subir Bhaumik
Updated: 11/05/2020 at 06:38 PM
When a young Indian Army lieutenant, Birol Das, punched a Chinese PLA major on his nose, at
Muguthang, and sent blood oozing from his nose, he nearly provoked an escalation that his officers had not bargained for.
Das’ infantry unit had stopped the
intruding Chinese PLA at Muguthang last week, and were furious at the Chinese commissar for shouting, "This (Sikkim) is not your land, this is not Indian territory... so just go back."
Brought up in a military family – his grandfather a veteran of the Royal and then Indian Air Force and his father a colonel in the Indian Army – Das could not stomach it anymore.
View attachment 15824
Lieutenant Birol Das with his father, Colonel Ashis Das (retd) and sister.(Photo: Accessed by
The Quint)
“What Sikkim not our territory? What the hell!” he shouted back. Then, as one PLA major moved menacingly towards his senior officer, a captain, Das flew into him and punched him in the face.
Das Patted For Bravery, Yet Admonished For ‘Provoking a Bigger Spat’
The Chinese major collapsed with a thud and his name tag came loose – a good souvenir to carry back – but Das left it alone, as his colleagues pulled him back.
After being admonished for a while by senior officers, for provoking a bigger spat, and being congratulated by officers from command and divisional headquarters at Kolkata and Sukna, Das was preparing for a commendation. But, the senior commanders could not land at Muguthang because of bad weather.
Even Army Chief Gen MM Naravane is said to have expressed his desire to ‘have a look at the boy.’
Meanwhile, Das is unrepentant, but somewhat crestfallen because he has been pulled back to a location away from the front. His only comfort that his troops are loving his act of 'teaching the Chinese the right lesson.'
A senior officer said, “Birol is a hero for his troops – slight build but extremely pugnacious.”
This story has been removed pending editorial and legal review
www.thequint.com