PLA responded positively on handing over of missing Arunachal teenager: Rijiju

NEW DELHI: A day after India shared details of a missing Arunachal Pradesh teenager with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), Union law minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that a hotline was exchanged between the Indian Army and PLA on Republic Day regarding the teenager who was reportedly kidnapped by the PLA a week ago from Indian territory.
"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," he said in a tweet.

Earlier this week, Rijiju said the Chinese side had conveyed to the Indian Army on January 20 that they had found a boy on their side and requested for further details to establish the identity.
"To assist Chinese side in corroborating the identity, personal details and photo of the individual has been shared with the Chinese side by the Indian Army. Response from the Chinese side is awaited," Rijiju said in a the statement put out on Koo app.
According to the statement, 19-year-old Miram Taron of Jido Village in Upper Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh was found missing on January 18.
"Some people reported that Chinese PLA had taken him into their custody," it said.
Rijiju said that since the individual was missing from an area close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Army immediately approached the Chinese side on January 19, 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.
The Chinese side had assured that they would search for the individual and return him as per established protocol, the minister said.
(With inputs from agencies)