GUWAHATI: Days after five youths from Arunachal Pradesh were reported missing, China confirmed on Tuesday that the persons had been spotted in its territory.
Confirming this, Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted: “China's PLA has responded to the hotline message sent by the Indian Army. They have confirmed that the missing youths from Arunachal Pradesh have been found by their side”.
He said further modalities to hand over the persons to Indian authorities were being worked out.
The Minister, who hails from Arunachal, had confirmed on Sunday that the persons were inside Chinese territories as he said the Indian Army had sent a hotline message to its Chinese counterpart.
Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Dongtu Ebiya, Tanu Baker and Ngaru Diri had been reported missing since September 2. They all are from Arunachal’s Upper Subansiri district and they belong to the Tagin community.
The incident came to light when two other villagers, who had gone out along with the five people but managed to escape, narrated the incident of “abduction” before the locals.
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“There is no boundary or barricade along the LAC. The locals venture out in the jungle for hunting and they move into Chinese territories inadvertently,” Upper Subansiri Superintendent of Police Taru Gussar had told this newspaper recently.
China lauds Indian Army
China lauded the Indian Army as the latter had handed over 13 yaks and four calves that strayed across the LAC on August 31 in East Kameng district of Arunachal.
“In a humane gesture, the Indian Army handed over 13 Yaks and four Calves that strayed across the LAC on 31 Aug 20 in East Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh to China on 07 Sep 20. Chinese officials present thanked the Indian Army for the compassionate gesture,” the Indian Army’s Eastern Command tweeted.