Five Indians who had crossed the border into Arunachal Pradesh earlier this month and were detained by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were working for Indian intelligence, a state media report said on Saturday, hours before their release by of the Chinese army.
The five civilian porters from the Tagin tribe of Arunachal Pradesh disappeared in early September.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and the Indian Army have repeatedly said that all five were porters and worked for the armed forces to transport and transport goods for troops stationed on the Indian side of the Royal Line of Control (LAC) o the McMahon Line in Upper Subansiri in Arunachal Pradesh, which separates it from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China.
On Saturday, Rijiju tweeted: “The PLA of China has handed over our five boys to our side here in the Kibitu area. I thank the Indian Army for the smooth return of our citizens. I thank the Chief of the Indian Army, his office and the local Commanders for constantly following up on the matter and regularly updating me on it. “
The Hindustan Times has contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for details of the case.
Before its launch, a state nationalist tabloid Global Times claimed in a report that five were “spies” working for the Indian military.
The five had disguised themselves as “hunters,” according to the report, citing an anonymous source, and adding that they were “intelligence personnel from India.”
“They recently crossed the border between China and India and entered Shannan prefecture in Tibet,” the report says.
“The Indian side often sends staff through this medium to collect information on China. This is how it invades the areas controlled by China, “says the report, adding:” The Chinese side has detained, warned and educated the five people, who will be released soon. “
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.
“The Chinese side has detained, warned and educated the five people, who will be released soon,” the report says.
“China and India have a very long border and there are vast areas without surveillance. In recent years, India has taken an aggressive approach in the border areas between China and India, which poses a challenge for China to strengthen its border control, “she added.
On September 7, when asked about the whereabouts of the five missing Indians, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said: “China’s position in the eastern sector of the China-India border, o Zangnan, the southern part of Xizang (Tibet) of China, is consistent and clear. The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally established on Chinese territory. I’m not aware of the situation you mentioned. “
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