[ Tongam Rina ]
PASIGHAT, Sep 7: The Indian Army has said that there is no official response from the Chinese side five days after five Arunachalee youths went missing – suspected to have been abducted by the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – from Indian territory in Upper Subansiri district.
“We are waiting for response from PLA,” said Defence Spokesman Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande, responding to a query from this daily regarding the release of the five youths.
The boys were reportedly picked up by the PLA in Sera-7 area, which is way inside the Indian territory.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, as reported by China’s state media Global Times, said that China has no details to release yet on the question of the Indian Army’s sending a message to the PLA about the five missing Indians in the region.
The spokesperson did not deny the abduction but said that China has never recognized Arunachal. The Chinese government calls Arunachal China’s south Tibet region.
The Indian Army is yet to give an official statement. However, the state government via the DIPR’s official Twitter handle said that the “Arunachal Govt is closely monitoring the case of 5 missing boys in Nacho, Upper Subansiri. District Administration has been directed to assist all concerned agencies to trace the missing boys.”
In March this year, PLA had abducted a youth from the same district and released him 19 days later.
