ITANAGAR, 16 Oct: The Arunachal Pradesh Police has said that search is underway for two persons who reportedly went missing from Chaglagam area along the India-China border in August.
Bateilum Tikro and his friend Bayingso Manyu, residents of Duiliang village in Anjaw district, had left home on 19 August in search of medicinal herbs and to hunt at high-altitude mountains along the line of actual control (LAC), a police officer said, quoting family members.
Dishanso Chikro, the younger brother of Bateilum, however, claimed that both of them may have been detained by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China.
“We suspect that they could have inadvertently crossed the LAC and have been detained by the PLA. We are extremely worried,” Chikro said.
The family members have lodged an FIR at the Khupa police station, the police officer said.
Chikro also said the family has drawn the attention of Hayuliang MLA Dasanglu Pul, through a letter.
“We will submit a report to the state government after completing formalities involving the witnesses, family members and the villagers living near the border. It is, however, common for locals to explore forests in search of medicinal herbs,” Anjaw SP Rike Kamsi said.
Kamsi said the two persons may have taken shelter somewhere within the Indian territory near the border.
Assistance from the PLA has also been sought to locate the duo, he added.
In January, Miram Taron (17), a youth hailing from Upper Siang district, had inadvertently entered Chinese territory while searching for medicinal plants. He was captured and subsequently set free by the PLA, after India had taken up the matter at a higher level. (PTI)
