PLA hands over Arunachalee youth to Indian Army; youth speaks with parents

Father vows to continue to visit LAC

[ Bengia Ajum ]

KIBITHU, 27 Jan: After a wait of nine days, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday handed over Arunachalee youth Miram Taron to the Indian Army at the Wacha-Damai interaction point here in Anjaw district.

Seventeen-year-old Taron had been abducted by the PLA on 18 January from Lungta Jor area in Upper Siang district, when he was on a hunting trip with his friend Johny Yaying, who managed to escape from the scene and report the matter to the authorities.

Taron is currently under the care of the Indian Army here and is undergoing quarantine. After being handed over to the army, he spoke to his parents over the phone.

Speaking to this daily, Miram’s father Opang Taron said that the family is very happy to have him back.

“I spoke to him over the phone. He started to cry on hearing the voice of his mother. The army has assured to hand him over once quarantine and all other formalities are completed,” said Opang Taron.

He thanked all the people involved in getting Miram released. Further, he said that, even though the people of his area have been shaken by the PLA’s intrusion into Arunachal’s territory to kidnap a citizen, they will continue to visit Lungta Jor and other areas along the LAC.

“Since our ancestors’ time we have been hunting in these areas, and we will continue to do so in the future. We are not scared of the PLA as we have not done anything wrong,” he said.

Earlier, union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in a tweet had said, “The Chinese PLA has handed over the young boy from Arunachal Pradesh Shri Miram Taron to the Indian Army at WACHA-DAMAI interaction point in Arunachal Pradesh. From day one, Army and govt had been working in close coordination. Indian Army pursued the case meticulously with PLA and safely secured our young boy back home.”

In September 2020, five Arunachalee youths from Nacho circle in Upper Subansiri district had been abducted by the PLA from Sera 7 area near the Sino-India border. They were later released after lengthy diplomatic talks.