The Sikkim government has deployed contingents of the Indian Reserve Battalion at villages near the China border, the development coming within a week of a physical clash between Indian and Chinese forces in Ladakh.

IRB is part of Sikkim police and its personnel are usually deployed in areas of conflict.

Amid questions on whether the IRB deployment had any link with the growing tension between India and China, Prawin Gurung, the deputy inspector general (range), Sikkim police, said: “The deployment is a normal exercise during such situations, but this in no way means a war is about to break.”

The DIG added that since Sikkim was a sensitive border state, its police had a responsibility to “remain vigilant”.

Sources in the state police said the fact that he had linked the deployment to “such situations” meant the Sikkim government was taking the developments on the China frontier in Ladakh seriously and was doing its bit to “save lives and livelihood” at the border villages.

The state shares a 220km long border with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China and had seen conflicts between India and China in the past, most notably in 1962 and 1967 when Sikkim was a kingdom.

Sikkim has borders with Nepal and Bhutan also.

While the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) guards the China border, it is the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that protects the other two international boundaries. Besides these paramilitary forces, the Indian Army keeps a regular vigil on the China border. The army has a mountain division in Gangtok that is under the Trishakti Corps headquartered at Sukna near Siliguri.

A source in the Sikkim police said: “The deployment of IRB is strategic and it is unlikely the state has done it without consulting the Centre.”

He has added that the P.S. Tamang (Golay) dispensation is keen on sending a message that it is complementing the efforts of the Narendra Modi government in protecting the borders.

The DIG was repeatedly asked about the strength of the deployment, but he refused to give any specific answer.

“In accordance with the directive of the Sikkim government, we have deployed the armed forces at Lachen, Lachung and Thangu in north Sikkim and Kupup and Sherathang in east Sikkim where our citizens reside at small villages,” he said.

At the recent all-party meeting chaired by Modi on the border stand-off, Golay had reportedly said his government and residents of the state are with the country.

“At this hour, the government of Sikkim and the entire people of Sikkim are one with the country and Sikkim will always support any decision taken by the Union government in consultation with all concerned,” Tamang was quoted as having said at the meeting.

“After making such statements, it is natural that the state would do its best to secure the bordering areas,” said a source.

Rough estimates suggest there are 20-odd villages along the China border with 7,000 to 10,000 people.

Sikkim has three battalions of IRB and a battalion of State Armed Police. The total strength of a battalion is 1,000.

Salute to martyrs

The Sikkim government will organise a special event to pay tributes to 20 Indian army personnel who laid their lives during the clash with Chinese troops at the Galwan Valley on June 15.

Although details of the programme to be held at MG Marg in Gangtok are yet to be fleshed out, sources said some Union ministers were scheduled to address people either via live video conference or through recorded messages.

“People of Sikkim from every walk of life stand with those who have made the supreme sacrifice, and give this strong message to everybody, including the international community, that Sikkim as a state and Sikkimese people are patriotic,” said S. C. Gupta, the chief secretary, while announcing the event, “Salute to the Bravehearts”.

Jacob Khaling, the political secretary to the chief minister, said the event was being organised at the directive of Tamang.

“We want to send a message to not just the country but the entire world that we share a border with China and Sikkim will always come forward in the defence of India,” he said.