The 5 men who had gone missing near the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh were handed over to India in Chinese territory by China’s People’s Liberation Army this morning, said army sources. They will reach Arunachal Pradesh through Kibithu border post. China had confirmed their presence last week.
“The Chinese PLA has confirmed to Indian Army to hand over the youths from Arunachal Pradesh to our side. The handing over is likely to take place anytime tomorrow i.e. 12th September 2020 at a designated location,” Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had tweeted on Friday.
#HarKaDeshKeNaam#WeCare #ArunachalPradesh
Good news #India…
By persistent efforts of #IndianArmy, 5 hunters of #UpperSubansiri, who crossed over #LAC on 2 Sept, will finally return on 12 Sept. #PLA will hand them over to #India in #Damai #China at 0930hrs morning. #LohitValley pic.twitter.com/FtyRaFLVXl— PRO Defence Tezpur (Assam/Arunachal Pradesh) (@ProAssam) September 11, 2020
“As a result of persistent efforts of Indian Army, five missing hunters from Indian side of LAC in Upper Subansiri, who had inadvertently crossed over to other side on 2 September 2020, were traced. Chinese Army on September 8 responded on hotline and confirmed that the missing Indians have been found on their side,” the Army had said in a statement.
Their families had said that the missing men were porters. The army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police uses locals as porters, guides and scouts during Long-range patrols (LRPs). They need help from porters to carry supplies at all strategic points along the McMahon Line, the effective border between India and China. These porters and guides often go to higher altitudes to hunt for musk deer and to collect herbs. It is speculated that these men went missing on one such trip.
