Arunachalee teen located, says Chinese army

NEW DELHI: An Indian teenager, who crossed over the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh and went missing, has been located, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on Sunday.

In a communication with the Indian Army, the Chinese PLA stated that the missing boy has been located and would be sent back after proper formalities.

The Indian Army is verifying the Chinese claim and trying to find out whether the boy is the same one who was reported missing.

The Army had sought assistance of the PLA on Thursday to locate the missing boy, identified as Miram Taron, on their side and return him as per the established protocol.

The Indian Army had stated that when they received the information about Taron, it immediately contacted the PLA through the established mechanism of hotline, informing that an individual, who was collecting herbs and hunting, has lost his way and cannot be found.

A Defence PRO had tweeted: "17-yr-old youth Miram Tarom of Zido, Arunachal Pradesh, was reportedly captured by the PLA across the LAC. On receipt of info, Indian Army imdtly contacted PLA through a hotline. Assistance from PLA has been sought to locate and return him as per protocol."

An Arunachal Pradesh Government official had also said that the State Government had sought the Defence Ministry's intervention to ensure the safe return of the youth.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had said that the Defence Ministry had taken up the matter with the Chinese authority through diplomatic channels.

"I am hopeful that the youth would be released and return to his village soon," the Chief Minister had told the media on Thursday.

Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang, also a local BJP MLA, said that he is optimistic that the youth would be returned very soon.

The Chinese Army reportedly abducted Tarom from Indian territory where China had constructed 3-4 km road in 2018. The incident was reported from Upper Siang district on January 18.

Tarom's friend, who managed to escape, reported the matter to the authorities and brought it to the notice of Tapir Gao, an MP from the Arunachal East parliamentary constituency.

Gao said that the incident took place near the place where Tsangpo river enters India in Arunachal Pradesh. Tsangpo is called as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam.

In September, 2020 the Chinese PLA had kidnapped five boys from Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri district before releasing them after about a week.

The villagers in the region are always forced to trek through the remote mountainous areas of Arunachal Pradesh due to the lack of proper roads. Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080-km border with China.

Recently, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs had altered names of 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which was rejected by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs that said that such a move by Beijing cannot alter the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.

In the meantime, the Congress slammed the Government for inaction in the entire episode.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday tweeted, "Just days ahead of Republic Day the Chinese have abducted an Indian citizen, we are with the family of Meeram Taron, and we will not lose hope and will not accept defeat. But Prime Minister's silence is his statement that it does not bother him."

India and China are engaged in a border dispute for the last 20 months and 14 rounds of military talks have taken place to resolve the border dispute. (IANS)

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