The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has yet again abducted an Indian citizen from inside Indian territory in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. One Arunachalee youth, identified as Miram Taron, aged 17 years, was abducted on 18 January from inside Indian territory from Lungta Jor area in Upper Siang district by the PLA. This is not the first time that the PLA has abducted an Arunachalee citizen. In September 2020, five Arunachalee youths from Nacho circle in the Upper Subansiri district were abducted by the PLA from Sera 7 area near the Indo-Tibet border.
Not only are they making intrusions into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, they are now repeatedly capturing citizens. This is stoking fear among the people living along the LAC. These citizens for centuries have lived along the LAC and hunted in these forests. It is because of their settlement and movement of people along the LAC that for long Indian territory has remained protected from aggressive Chinese PLA. The people living along the LAC are a great source of information for the Indian Army and intelligence community. It seems the Chinese army is deliberately targeting these villagers to stoke fear and to lay claim over the territory. The government of India cannot remain silent anymore. China seems to be emboldened ever since it manage to capture Indian territory in eastern Ladakh. Since then, there is constant effort all along the LAC to capture more areas. It is time the government of India stood up to the Chinese bully and strongly resisted the nefarious designs of China.