China Hands Over Five Men Who Went Missing From Arunachal: Sources

The five men were handed over in Chinese territory and will be brought by the team in an hour on the Indian side, entering through Kibithu border post in Arunachal Pradesh, NDTV reported.

China’s People’s Liberation Army or PLA, according to the sources in the army, has handed over the five men to India who had gone missing from the villages on the border earlier this month. The five men were handed over in Chinese territory and will be brought by the team in an hour on the Indian side, entering through Kibithu border post in Arunachal Pradesh, NDTV reported.

“The Chinese PLA has confirmed to the 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 Kiran Rijiju had said on Friday.

The army had said in its statement that the five men had gone missing since September 1 and they were hunters.

#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

However, the family and locals said they were porters, NDTV reported.

The Chinese army, earlier this week, had confirmed their presence in the country.

“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 said in a statement.