Arunachal Teen Tortured, Given Electric Shocks in Chinese Custody, Claims Father

17-year-old Miram Taron, who was allegedly abducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on 18 January, was finally reunited with his family at Zido village on Monday, 31 January.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/MP Gao)

Seventeen-year-old Miram Taron, who was allegedly abducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on 18 January, was finally reunited with his family at Zido village on Monday, 31 January.

A day later, his kin have alleged that he was tortured in captivity and even given electric shocks.

The PLA had handed over the boy to the Indian military on 27 January at the Wacha-Damai interaction point at Kibithu in Anjaw district. Following which the Indian Army reunited Taron with his parents at a function in Tuting in Upper Siang district on Monday evening, district Deputy Commissioner Shaswat Saurabh was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Taron was allegedly abducted by the Chinese army on 18 January from Lungta Jor area near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) when he was out hunting with his friend Johny Yaying. Yaying had managed to escape from the scene and had reported the matter to the authorities.

The alleged abduction came to light when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tapir Gao tweeted “Chinese PLA has abducted Sh Miram Taron, 17 years of Zido vill. Yesterday 18th Jan 2022 from inside Indian territory, Lungta Jor area (China built 3-4 Km road inside India in 2018) under Siyungla area (Bishing village) of Upper Siang dist., Arunachal Pradesh.”

Taron’s father Opang Taron said his son was mentally exhausted and had been scarred by the whole incident.

Opang Taron said, “My son was trying to flee from the spot and scratched a few soldiers who were trying to grab him. One of those soldiers kicked my son several times… If that was not all, Chinese soldiers took him to a PLA camp and questioned him in Tibetan, which he failed to understand. My son tried to communicate in Hindi and Adi, which is our mother tongue. The Chinese didn’t understand what he was saying and continued to question him in Tibetan. Since he failed to understand them, they got upset. Later, they gave him electric shocks,” The Indian Express reported.

Opang Taron added that his son has told him that he was given sufficient food when he was held captive.

However, he was kept blindfolded most of the time. Taron added that the torture stopped once his abduction hit the headlines.

(With inputs from The Indian Express and PTI.)