China hands over five missing Arunachal Pradesh youths to Indian Army

Guwahati: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China on Saturday handed over the five missing youths of Arunachal Pradesh to Indian Army who strayed over to the Chinese territories during an expedition to hunt and collect medicinal herbs along the McMahon Line.

“The Indian Army officials received the five youths at Kibithu after completing all formalities. They will be quarantined for the specified period,” reportedly said Lt. Col. P. Khongsai, the Guwahati-based Defence spokesperson.

The youths will be handed over to their families in Nacho area of Upper Subansiri district after spending 14 days in quarantine as per COVID-19 protocol.

Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted the news with the caption: “All the 5 Indian youths from Arunachal Pradesh who were received at Kibithu by our Army from PLA are fit and fine. However, they will be quarantined for a specified period.”

All the 5 Indian youths from Arunachal Pradesh who were received at Kibithu by our Army from PLA are fit and fine. However, they will be quarantined for a specified period.
I also thank Raksha Mantri @rajnathsingh ji for the concern he had shown. https://t.co/Wpg3pCkObz pic.twitter.com/1IpApYkxZz

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 12, 2020

The five youths had gone hunting and to collect medicinal herbs at the Tungdara Mountain or Sera-7 close to the McMahon Line and were captured by the Chinese army after they strayed into the Chinese territories in the mountains.

This was the third such instance of youths from Arunachal Pradesh straying inadvertently to the other side of line of actual control (LAC) during expedition in the Indo-China border area.