New Delhi: China’s foreign ministry on Thursday said that it was not aware of the incident in which the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly abducted a 17-year-old boy from Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district but said the PLA controls the borders and cracks down on “illegal entry and exit activities.”
Member of parliament from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao said on Wednesday that a 17-year-old boy was abducted by the PLA from inside Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district.
Gao said the teenager, identified as Miram Taron, was abducted by the PLA from Lungta Jor area under Siyungla area on Tuesday.
Taron’s friend Johny Yaiying, who managed to escape, informed the authorities about the kidnapping by the PLA, Gao told PTI over phone from Ziro, the district headquarters of Lower Subansiri district.
Both are local hunters and belong to Zido village.
Asked for his reaction to the allegation of the PLA abducting Taron, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing said, “I don’t know the situation.”
“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army controls borders in accordance with the law and cracks down on illegal entry and exit activities,” the spokesperson said.
The MP said the incident took place near the place where Tsangpo river enters India in Arunachal Pradesh.
Tsangpo is called as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam.
Earlier, 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 kms road inside India in 2018) under Siyungla area (Bishing village) of Upper Siang dist, Arunachal Pradesh”.
“His friend escaped from PLA and reported to the authorities.
“All the agencies of Govt of India are requested to step up for his early release,” he said in another tweet and posted pictures of the abducted boy.
Gao also said that he has informed Union minister of state for home Nisith Pramanik about the incident and requested him to take necessary action in this regard.
He tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and the Indian Army in his tweets.
On Thursday afternoon, the defence PRO in Tezpur, Assam also confirmed the kidnapping. The Indian Army has contacted the PLA on the matter, the PRO said.
#HarKaamDeshKeNaam
17 yr old youth Miram Tarom of #Zido #ArunachalPradesh was reportedly captured by #PLA across the LAC. On receipt of info, #IndianArmy imdtly contacted #PLA through #hotline. Assistance from #PLA has been sought to locate & return him as per protocol. pic.twitter.com/aq1Pv1K0RG— PRO Defence Tezpur (Assam/Arunachal Pradesh) (@ProAssam) January 20, 2022
In September 2020, the PLA had abducted five youths from Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district and released them after about a week.
The latest incident came at a time when the Indian Army continues to be engaged in a stand-off with the PLA in eastern Ladakh since April 2020.
India shares a 3,400 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.
This story was published on January 20 at 8:50 am and has been republished at 7:10 pm with the Chinese foreign ministry’s response on the incident.