Indian diplomats to boycott Beijing Winter Olympics after China makes Galwan PLA soldier torch bearer

The torchbearer for the Winter Olympics 2022, Qi Fabao, was captured in June 2020 by Indian forces when he tried to mount an attack on Indian forces in the Galwan Valley.

The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics, said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchion on Thursday following reports of China making Galwan soldier torchbearer for the Winter Olympics 2022.

Qi Fabao, was captured in June 2020 by Indian forces when he tried to mount an attack on Indian forces in the Galwan Valley, said an investigative report by the Australian newspaper The Klaxon.

According to the report, 38 Chinese troops drowned in the early stages of the June 15-16 face-off between Indian and Chinese forces while attempting to cross the Galwan River in the dark.

Qi Fabao was leading the Chinese troop that was responsible for the attack on Indian forces on June 15,2020, in which Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, who was deployed in the Galwan Valley during Operation Snow Leopard, was killed.

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The report draws heavily on research conducted by a group of unnamed social media researchers whose sources include Chinese bloggers, information obtained from mainland-based Chinese citizens and media reports that have since been deleted by Chinese authorities.