China’s PLA hands over ‘abducted’ 17-year-old teen from Arunachal Pradesh to Indian Army

The 17-year-old boy, who was allegedly abducted by China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) on 19 January, has been handed over to the Indian Army, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted on Thursday.

The Chinese PLA has handed over the young boy from Arunachal Pradesh Shri Miram Taron to Indian Army. Due procedures are being followed including the medical examination. https://t.co/xErrEnix2h

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 27, 2022

On January 19, state’s MP Tapir Gao had reported that Miram Taron had been abducted from inside Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district.

Taron’s friend Johny Yaiying, who managed to escape, informed the authorities about the kidnapping by the PLA, Gao told PTI over phone from Ziro, the district headquarters of Lower Subansiri district.

The MP said 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.

Following the teen going ‘missing’, the Indian Army stepped up and activated a hotline with the People’s Liberation Army in China. Subsequently, the Chinese side said that they would return the boy after a week.

On 26 January, Kiren Rijiju confirmed that a hotline had been set up and said that the teen would return to his home soon.

“They are likely to intimate date and time soon. Delay attributed to bad weather conditions on their side,” he wrote on Twitter.

Rijiju had said that India had shared details of the missing Arunachal Pradesh teenager with the PLA to corroborate the identity of the youth in their custody.

“Hotline exchanged on Republic Day by Indian Army with Chinese PLA. PLA responded positively indicating handing over of our national and suggested a place of release,” he said.

Meanwhile, family in Arunachal Pradesh, according to an Indian Express report, were anxiously awaiting his return.

“We don’t want anything else but our son back. We want him back at the earliest. But if it takes a bit more time for weather, so be it. We just want him back safe, unhurt,” Miram’s father Opang Taron, a farmer, told The Indian Express.

This is not the first time such an incident has taken place.

In September 2020, the PLA troops had abducted five youths from near the McMohan Line in Arunachal Pradesh. They were released a week later. The Chinese troops handed over the five youths to India near the Kibithu border post in Anjaw district.

In March of 2020, a 21-year-old man was abducted by Chinese troops from the Asapila sector near the McMahon line in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district. Reports state that Togley Singkam and his two friends — Gamshi Chadar and Ronya Nade — had gone to collect traditional herbs from the land belonging to the Naa clan of the Tagin community, and also to do some fishing.

The Chinese security personnel ambushed them while they were fishing. While the other two friends could successfully escape, Togley Singkam was abducted at the gunpoint by the Chinese security personnel. He was later released on 7 April 2020.

With inputs from agencies

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