E-Paper
Arunachal teen abducted by China’s PLA: Officials
BJP MP from Arunachal-East, Tapir Gao, took to Twitter to highlight the incident and sought help from Indian agencies to step up the efforts for his early release.
A 17-year-old resident of Arunachal Pradesh has allegedly been abducted by China’s Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) from the state’s Upper Siang district, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
The man identified as Miram Taron, a native of Zido village in Upper Siang district, was abducted on Tuesday by the PLA, said the police. The district authorities said the youth along with others were hunting in the border area between both countries when the incident took place.
“The youth was among a group of local hunters. Other members of his group who were able to escape informed us that he was abducted by the PLA from the Indian side,” Shashvat Saurabh, deputy commissioner of Upper Siang, said.
“As soon as we came to know of the matter, we informed the officials of the Indian Army that operate in the region. Continuous efforts are underway to rescue the youth at the earliest,” he added.
Meanwhile, BJP MP from Arunachal-East, Tapir Gao, took to Twitter to highlight the incident and sought help from Indian agencies to step up the efforts for his early release.
“Chinese PLA has abducted Miram Taron, 17 years, of Zido village yesterday January 18, 2022 from inside Indian territory, Lungta Jor area (China built 3-4 kms road inside India in 2018) under Siyungla area (Bishing village) of Upper Siang district (sic.),” the MP posted on his social media on Wednesday evening.
“His friend escaped from PLA and reported to the authorities. All the agencies of Govt of India is requested to step up for his early release (sic.),” Gao added.
This is not the first such incident. In September, 2020, five youths from Tagin tribe, who used to work as porters for Indian Army, had gone missing from Upper Subansiri district from the Indian side of the McMahon line, bifurcating Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China.
Following their disappearance, one of the abducted youth’s brother had posted on the social media about the ‘abduction’ by PLA. The same accusation was made by BJP MP Tapir Gao and Congress MLA from Pasighat Ninong Ering.
It was later revealed that the youths had strayed across the border during an expedition to hunt and collect medicinal herbs. They were handed back to India after 10 days by the Chinese authorities.
The Indian Army had informed then that it was the third such incident where youths from Arunachal Pradesh living near the Indo-China border had “strayed inadvertently to the other side of line of actual control (LAC)” during “adventurous forays”.
