Chinese PLA Hands Over 'Abducted' Arunachal Boy to Indian Army: Union Min Rijiju

Miram Tarong, 17, was found by the Chinese army after he was initially reported to be 'abducted.'

Days after a teenager from Arunachal Pradesh was reported as having been “abducted” by the Chinese forces, the People's Liberation Army on Thursday, 27 January, handed over the boy to the Indian military.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Kiren Rijiju)

Days after a teenager from Arunachal Pradesh was reported as having been “abducted” by the Chinese forces, the People's Liberation Army on Thursday, 27 January, handed over the boy to the Indian military.

"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," Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said in a tweet.

The Chinese PLA handed over teenager to the Indian Army at Wacha-Damai interaction point in Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju said.

"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. They are likely to intimate date and time soon. Delay attributed to bad weather conditions on their side [sic]," Rijiju had shared on Wednesday.

Last week, Tapir Gao, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian, had alleged that the PLA had abducted a teenage boy from the Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district.

What Had Happened

According to Gao, 17-year-old Miram Taron of Zido village on 18 January was abducted by the PLA from Bishing village of the Siyungla area where China had constructed a road of 3-4 km in length within the Indian territory.

Subsequently, it was reported that the Indian Army had contacted the PLA for assistance.

On Thursday, the PLA said that it was not aware of the reported abduction and that “The Chinese People’s Liberation Army controls borders in accordance with the law and cracks down on illegal entry and exit activities.”

Days later, the PLA had claimed that it had found the boy in Chinese territory.

“The Chinese Army has communicated to us that they have found a missing boy from Arunachal Pradesh and the due procedure is being followed,” PRO Defence Tezpur Lieutenant Colonel Harshvardhan Pandey had shared on Sunday.