China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) hands over the five youths who went missing from the village near the India-China border. The 5 youths went missing on September 2. The 5 youths belong to the Nacho village of Arunachal Pradesh.
The handover will take place in the Chinese territory. It will take over an hour for the team to reach the Indian side and enter Arunachal Pradesh through Kibithu Border Post.
According to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Chinese PLA will hand over the youths from Arunachal Pradesh.
The five youths were missing since September 2. They went out for hunting in the forested area near Nacho in the Upper Subansiri district. However, according to the family member, the five youths were porters. The Chinese Army also confirmed their presence in the country.
The Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police used locals as porters, guides, and scouts during Long Range Patrols (LRPs). They need help from the porters to carry supplies at all strategic points along the McMohan Line. The McMohan Line is the effective border between Indian and China.
The tracing of the five youths was only possible due to the persistent efforts of the Indian Army. On September 8, the Chinese Army on hotline also made the confirmation that the missing Indians were found on their side.
According to sources, the porters and guides after dropping off cargos often go to higher altitudes to hunt. They hunt for musk deer or collects herbs like ‘gumba’. These materials have high value in the international grey market. It is possible that the five youths lost their way while looking to hunt or collect herbs.