China hands over missing teen

Miram Taron, who went missing nine days ago, was on Thursday handed over to the Indian Army by China’s Peoples’ Liberation Army.

Nine days after he went missing, Miram Taron, a teenager from Arunachal Pradesh was on Thursday handed over to the Indian Army by China’s Peoples’ Liberation Army, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said.

Miram Taron, hailing from Zido village in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, went missing from near the border with China on January 18 during a hunting trip. It was alleged that he was abducted by China’s Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) from inside the Indian territory. (TWITTER/@tapirgao)

In a series of tweets, Rijiju, the BJP MP who represents the Arunachal-West seat, thanked the Indian Army and said that due process, including medical examination of the young man, were ongoing. “The Chinese PLA handed over the young boy from Arunachal Pradesh Shri Miram Taron to Indian Army at Wacha-Damai interaction point in Arunachal Pradesh today,” said the minister for law and justice.

 

“I thank our proud Indian Army for pursuing the case meticulously with PLA and safely securing our young boy back home. Due procedures are being followed including the medical examination,” he added.

The Indian Army had earlier sought assistance from its Chinese counterpart after Miram Taron, a 17-year-old from Zido village in Upper Siang district, went missing near the LAC on January 18. Initially, the teen, was believed to have been abducted by the PLA when he and a few others had gone hunting in the bordering region. A tweet by BJP MP from Arunachal-East, Tapir Gao, alleging Taron was abducted from inside Indian territory.

But Indian Army clarified on Thursday that it was not the case, and that he “inadvertently strayed and went missing”.

“Today Indian Army took over Miram Taron at Border Personnel Meeting point at Damai across Kibithu Sector in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh after completing all the formalities. He is being handed over to his parents at the earliest,” Lt. Col. Harsh Wardhan Pande, PRO (Defence), Tezpur, Assam said.