Dibrugarh: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday rejected claims of a fresh Chinese incursion into Indian territory, saying the Indian Army remains deployed along the frontier and is maintaining security in the area.
Speaking to reporters, Khandu said he did not believe an incursion had taken place but added that the allegations raised by local groups would be examined.
“I don’t think incursion happened in Indian territory because Indian Army was deployed in the border and maintaining the area,” Khandu said.
He said he had invited representatives of the Nah community for discussions to understand their concerns and would independently verify the claims.
“I have called Nah society for discussion and we want to hear from them. I will verify the things at my own level and also talk to the Indian Army to verify the claims,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid renewed circulation of photographs and videos on social media that purportedly show a face-off between Indian Army personnel and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the Taksing Circle of Upper Subansiri district.
The visuals carry timestamps indicating July 26, 2026, while some reports have claimed that the alleged confrontation began a day earlier.
The latest claims have added to an ongoing controversy over alleged Chinese activity around Taksing, Maza, Galemu, Potrang Lake, Tama Chuchu, Galen Sinyik and Shreechu Valley, areas located near Asaphila, which is under PLA control.
The Nah Welfare Society (NWS) had raised concerns in late June, alleging that Chinese forces had constructed roads, bridges and military camps on land traditionally used by local villagers for grazing and collecting forest produce.
However, the Indian Army and Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung have repeatedly denied reports of any fresh Chinese encroachment, describing the claims as rumours.
The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit also earlier dismissed some viral videos claiming that PLA troops had advanced 60 km into Indian territory, saying the footage was unrelated and recycled.
However, the continued circulation of newer photographs and videos has prompted local residents and leaders to seek greater clarity from the authorities.
Ajay Murtem, a public leader from Kamle district, has written an open letter to Khandu calling for a ground-level assessment of the areas mentioned in the reports.
Murtem urged the state government to coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to establish the facts and issue an official statement to counter misinformation.
His letter also called for stronger border surveillance and confidence-building measures for residents living in frontier areas. Copies of the appeal were sent to the state and Union home ministers.
Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bosiram Siram alleged that Chinese PLA personnel had repeatedly entered Indian territory and were gradually occupying land.
Siram claimed that local residents had reported PLA activity near Taksing in Upper Subansiri over the past month.
“Locals claimed that Chinese PLA has been intruded into Indian territory and the intrusion of the PLA has been happening in Taksing Circle,” Siram said.
He also questioned the repeated government denials, asking how the state Home Minister could rule out an intrusion when residents had continued to raise concerns about alleged PLA presence near their villages.
The allegations and counterclaims have emerged amid heightened public concern over the security situation along Arunachal Pradesh’s remote frontier.
With conflicting accounts circulating online, Khandu’s proposed verification with local representatives and security agencies is expected to provide further clarity on the reports from the Taksing sector.