Days after a teenager from Arunachal Pradesh was reported as having been “abducted” by the Chinese PLA, Lt Col Harshvardhan Pandey, PRO Defence Tezpur, was on Sunday, 23 January, quoted by ANI as saying:
“The Chinese Army has communicated to us that they have found a missing boy from Arunachal Pradesh and the due procedure is being followed.”
Earlier, on Tuesday, 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.
When Miram Taron Went Missing
According to Gao, 17-year-old Miram Taron of Zido village 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.
"17-year-old youth Miram Tarom of Zido, Arunachal Pradesh was reportedly captured by Chinese PLA across the LAC. Indian Army immediately contacted PLA through hotline, assistance from PLA has been sought to locate and return him as per protocol," PRO Defence, Tezpur, had reportedly told ANI.
Notwithstanding the communication between the two countries’ armies, China’s foreign ministry had on Thursday said that it was not aware of the reported abduction. It had also added: “The Chinese People’s Liberation Army controls borders in accordance with the law and cracks down on illegal entry and exit activities.”
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