evidence: NITI: Encountering the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is nothing new for the shepherds of Lapthal and Barahoti along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Sabari Ram has been running into them for a decade whenever he goes up to the grazing lands. [...] Shepherd Hari Singh, who returned early from Lapthal, said the PLA soldiers not only pulled down the tents as usual, they set fire to them. "They were so aggressive I thought they would kill us.'' Shepherds have to take a permit from the sub-divisional magistrate at Joshimath before proceeding to Barahoti and Lapthal, some 400 km from Dehradun, to graze their sheep. The permits are three to four months. Grazing begins after the snows melt in April-May.