Five local youths from a bordering village of Arunachal Pradesh, who inadvertently crossed over to China, have been handed over to the Indian Army by their Chinese counterparts in the People's Liberation Army. “All five men have been handed over Indian army. We have brought them to Indian side and will be handed over to their families after necessary procedures," Lt Col Harshwardhan Pande, MoD spokesperson in Arunachal Pradesh, confirmed to THE WEEK over the phone.
They are being brought to the Indian side from Kibithu and will be quarantined for some time. The Army has categorically denied reports in Chinese media that the missing men were Indian spies and entered the Chinese territory in disguise of hunters.
Five youths, all in their twenties, had reportedly left their homes on August 20 and were reported missing by the family members when they did not return to their village in Nacho in Upper Subansiri district by September 3. Their families approached the local administration as well as the Indian Army, soon after which the latter launched a search operation in the area.
The Army subsequently spoke to the PLA via hotline and informed them about the missing youths.
The family members had told the Army that the missing boys had gone for excursion or hunting towards Tungdhara on their own without informing anyone and had not returned. They feared that the missing boys might have unintentionally strayed across the LAC and were apprehended by the PLA.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju was closely following the developments that happened amid heightened tensions along the border between India and China. Meanwhile, Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering alleged on Friday that the youths were kidnapped by China's PLA.
Official sources claim that Tungdhara is before the LAC, at a distance of about 180 km from Nacho township. It is bereft of any population and rich in wildlife, hence popular among local hunters.
