5 people from Arunachal reportedly abducted by Chinese PLA

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Amid continuing India-China tensions, five people from Arunachal Pradesh were abducted by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), triggering tension among the local population, Congress MLA Ninong Ering claimed on Saturday.

The Indian Army said it is not aware of the incident - said to have occurred on Friday - while the state police authorities are collecting the facts. Arunachal's Pasighat West Assembly Congress legislator Ninong Ering in a tweet said: "Five people from Upper Subansiri district of our state Arunachal Pradesh have reportedly been 'abducted' by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). Few months earlier, a similar incident happened. A befitting reply must be given to PLA and CCP China."

Ering, a former Union Minister of Minority affairs (2012-14), while talking to the media said that he has urged the authorities to take appropriate steps to release the five people from the custody of the PLA.

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Upper Subansiri district Superintendent of Police Taru Gussar said that they have sent a fact finding team to the bordering village to collect the authentic details of the incident. "Till now no formal complaint about the abduction was made to the police," the district police chief told the media.

Local media in Arunachal Pradesh has also reported that the kidnappings occurred in a forest area near Nacho in Upper Subansiri district. According the media reports, the abducted persons -- Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Dongtu Ebiya, Tanu Baker and Ngaru Diri - all of who belong to the Tagin community - had gone to the forest for hunting, a traditional practice of the tribals in the area. Two other villagers, who had managed to flee from the abductors, informed the other villagers.

The India-China border is about 170 kms from Daporijo, the headquarters of Upper Subansiri district, which itself is 280 kms from state capital Itanagar.

From Nacho police station, 120 kilometers from the district headquarters, a police team has been sent on foot to the forward area village.

Villagers are always forced to trek in remote and mountainous areas of Arunachal Pradesh as there are no proper roads. Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080-km border with China, 520 kms with Myanmar and 217 kms with Bhutan.

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