New Delhi: China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has confirmed that the five men from Arunachal Pradesh who were missing were found by them, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday evening. The process to hand them over to Indian authorities is being worked out, Rijiju added.
The five men went missing on Friday from the Sino-Indian border in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. Their families claimed they were ‘abducted’ by the PLA.
“China’s PLA has responded to the hotline message sent by Indian Army. They have confirmed that the missing youths from Arunachal Pradesh have been found by their side. Further modalities to handover the persons to our authority is being worked out,” Rijiju tweeted.
China’s PLA has responded to the hotline message sent by Indian Army. They have confirmed that the missing youths from Arunachal Pradesh have been found by their side. Further modalities to handover the persons to our authority is being worked out.
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 8, 2020
On Monday, China said it had no details about the missing men and reiterated the Chinese claim to the northeastern Indian state.
“China’s position on the east sector of the China-India boundary, or Zangnan (the southern part of China’s Xizang), is consistent and clear,” said Chinese foreign office spokesperson Zhao Lijian, adding that his country has never recoginsed “the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh'”.
India and China have been locked in tensions over the disputed border between the two countries in the western sector near Ladakh.