Missing boy from Arunachal found, China's PLA informs Army

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Sunday informed the Indian Army that they have found a missing boy from Arunachal Pradesh and following due procedure for his release or return. 

“The Chinese Army has communicated to us that they have found a missing boy from Arunachal Pradesh and the due procedure is being followed,” said PRO Defence, Tezpur Lt Col Harshvardhan Pandey, as reported by ANI.

It is yet to be confirmed if the person found is Miran Taron, the 17-year-old boy who the Army had sought assistance for.

Further details are awaited.

Who is Miran Taron?

According to the officials, the teenager is a native of Zido village in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. He was allegedly abducted by the PLA on earlier this week. The district authorities said that Taron, along with a few others, was hunting in the bordering region between two countries when the incident took place.

The Army contacted the PLA as soon as it received the information about the missing boy.

A similar incident took place in September 2020 when the PLA had abducted five youths from Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri district and released them after about a week. 

The latest episode happened at a time when India and China are engaged in a nearly two-year-long standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Notably, India shares a 3,400 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

So far, officials from both sides have held 14 rounds of military-level talks, but no resolution has been found.