Fact Check: China using 'microwave weapons' against Indian soldiers in Ladakh?

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Amid India-China border tension at LAC, a British daily "The Times", citing a Beijing-based professor, reported that the Chinese military used microwave weapons against Indian soldiers to retreat during the standoff in eastern Ladakh. However, the Times has not offered any details about how the professor gained access to this information which would represent a major change in engagement between Indian and Chinese soldiers if it is found true.

THE CLAIM:

According to Washington Examiner, the Beijing-based professor claimed that Chinese forces used the weapons in order to fight while honouring a decades-old agreement that the two nuclear-armed neighbours would not use firearms in the border disputes.

"In 15 minutes, those occupying the hilltops all began to vomit.... They couldn't stand up, so they fled. This was how we retook the ground," said Renmin University professor of international relations Jin Canrong, as per the UK newspaper.

The professor claimed that the attack took place on August 29, but the Indian official said that never happened.

"If they got us out of the heights, why is China still asking India to withdraw from these heights?" the source replied. "Our soldiers and tanks/equipment still there, and we have not moved down from heights."

THE FACT:

All these claims made by Canrong is false as the Indian government on Tuesday night dismissed the report. 

According to Indian officials, China is seeding ''fake news'' about using microwave weapons, referring to a Beijing-based professor's assertion that Chinese forces ''turned the mountain tops into a microwave oven'' during a recent clash with India that allowed Beijing to recapture two key hilltops in the disputed border region, reported Washington Examiner. The Indian Army issued a denial on Tuesday and noted that they remain in control of the high ground.

Following the reports, India's Press Information Bureau refuted the report. “Some international news portals have published misleading headlines and reported baseless claims related to India-China border stand-off in Ladakh,” the Press Information Bureau tweeted. 

“This claims is fake, ADGPI [Additional Directorate General of Public Information] has clarified that no such incident has taken place. Beware of such misinformation.”

What are microwave weapons?

Microwave weapons can shoot targets, which causes pain nerve under the skin to ache. This system was designed to render enemies defenseless.