Missing Arunachal boy: Chinese PLA 'responded positively' during hotline exchange with Indian Army, says Rijiju

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that a hotline was exchanged between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Republic Day regarding the 19-year-old from Arunachal Pradesh who was reportedly found missing a week ago.

New Delhi: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that a hotline was exchanged between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Republic Day regarding the 19-year-old from Arunachal Pradesh who was reportedly found missing a week ago.

"PLA responded positively indicating handing over of our national and suggested a place of release," Rijiju he said in a tweet today. The Union Minister said that they are likely to intimate a date and time soon and the delay was attributed to bad weather conditions on their side.

"Hotline exchanged on Republic Day by Indian Army with Chinese PLA. PLA responded positively indicating handing over of our national and suggested a place of release. They are likely to intimate date and time soon. Delay attributed to bad weather conditions on their side," Rijiju's tweet read.

On Tuesday, the Union Minister said that the Indian Army has shared the personal details of the youth with the Chinese side for establishing the identity of the missing teenager. The youth, Miram Taron, a resident of Jido village in Upper Siang District, went missing on January 18.

"Since the individual was missing from the area close to LAC, Indian Army immediately approached Chinese side on 19th January 2022, asking for assistance in tracing and return of the individual, in case he had strayed into the Chinese territory or PLA has taken him in their custody," a statement posted on Twitter had read.

Furthermore, he said, "Chinese side assured that they would search for the individual and return him as per established protocol. Later on 20th January 2022, the Chinese side intimated that they had found a boy on their side and requested for further details to establish the identity."

The Union Minister also added, "To assist the Chinese side in corroborating the identity, personal details and photos of the individual have been shared with the Chinese side by the Indian Army. Response from the Chinese side is awaited."

ANI