Missing Indian teen found, to be returned to Indian territory: report

A teenager from Arunachal Pradesh who went missing across the border between India and China this week has been located in Chinese territory and will be returned to India after formalities are complete, the People's Liberation Army of China have stated according to an ANI report.

"17-year-old youth Miram Tarom of Zido, Arunachal Pradesh was reportedly captured by Chinese PLA across the Line of Actual Control. Indian Army immediately contacted PLA through a hotline, assistance from PLA has been sought to locate and return him as per protocol," PRO tweeted on Thursday.

Tarom, who was part of a hunting group that resides in the border area, went missing on Wednesday and was rumoured to have been captured by PLA soldiers across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

PRO Defence, Tezpur Lt Col Harshvardhan Pandey was quoted by ANI as saying the PLA had begun procedures to get the teenager back into India.

Miram Taron was reported missing Wednesday by Tapir Gao, the Lok Sabha MP from Arunchal (East), who told news agency PTI Taron and his friend, Johny Yaiying, had been targeted. Yaiying had escaped PLA custody and managed to alert Indian authorities to the issue after which a search for Tarom was initiated, Gao told PTI over the phone from Ziro, the HQ of Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Subansiri district.

Controversy was stoked after Opposition member and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra mmModi for his "stupid silence", alleging that the Centre did not take adequate action to find the boy. The BJP government refuted all allegations and said it was working with Amry and Border forces to bring him back.

The area where the teenager went missing is a disputed one where the Tsangpo River enters India via Arunachal Pradesh. In 2018 there was a standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies after local villagers near Tuting in the Upper Siang district alerted them to Chinese bulldozers entering Indian territory to clear way for a road.