Safe return of missing Arunachal teen a priority: Rijiju

Miram Taron, 17. Image/Official Twitter account of TapirGao

Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday appealed to people to carefully make statement about missing Arunachal Pradesh teenager Miram Taron, who was reportedly kidnapped by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) a week ago from the Indian territory.

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.

He said that since the individual was missing from an area close to LAC (Line of Actual Control), Indian Army immediately approached 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 has been shared with the Chinese side by the Indian Army. 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.

The Chinese Army reportedly abducted Tarom 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.

Gao had tweeted about the it last week.

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.

The villagers in the region have to trek through the remote mountainous areas due to the lack of proper roads.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080-km border with China.

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