Politics

Union Law Minister appeals to carefully make statements about the missing teen from Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal teen Miram Taron has been missing since January 18 from the area close to LAC

January 26, 2022

Safe return of Arunachal teen is priority, says Kiren Rijiju

On Tuesday, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the safe return of an Arunachal Pradesh teenager, who was reportedly kidnapped by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) a week ago from Indian territory, is the priority and appealed to people to carefully make statements about the missing boy.

Arunachal Pradesh teenager Miram Taron is missing since January 18 from the area close to LAC. The Chinese Army reportedly abducted Taron from the Indian territory where China had constructed a 3-4 km road in 2018.

His friend, who managed to escape, reported the matter to the authorities and brought it to the notice of Tapir Gao, a BJP MP from the Arunachal East parliamentary constituency.

The Minister in a statement said, “We are constantly following the case from day one. I appeal to everyone to be cautious in making statements which are not based on facts because the safety and safe return of our Young Arunachal Pradesh youth is the priority.”

“Miram Taron (19) of Jido Village in Upper Siang district, was found missing on January 18 at Shiyung La in Bishing Area. Some people reported that Chinese PLA had taken him into their custody,” a statement released on his Twitter handle said.

#ArunachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/ZHKk1oWLXr

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 25, 2022

He said that since the individual was missing from an area close to the Line of Actual Control, the Indian Army immediately approached the Chinese side on January 19, asking for assistance in tracing and return of the individual, in case he had strayed into the Chinese territory or PLA has taken him in their custody.

“Chinese side assured that they would search for the individual and return him as per established protocol. Later on January 20, the Chinese side intimated that they had found a boy on their side and requested for further details to establish the identity.”

“To assist the Chinese side in corroborating the identity, personal details and photo of the individual have been shared with the Chinese side by the Indian Army. The response from the Chinese side is awaited,” the statement reads.

The Arunachal Pradesh government had also sought the Defence Ministry’s intervention to ensure the safe return of the youth. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu earlier said that the Defence Ministry through diplomatic channels took up the matter with the Chinese authority.

“I am hopeful that the youth would be released and return to his village soon,” the Chief Minister had told the media in Itanagar.

In September 2020, the Chinese PLA had reportedly kidnapped five boys from Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district before releasing them after about a week.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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