National News : Two youths from Arunachal Pradesh have been missing for almost two years from a remote place in the state bordering India. The two youths are 35-year-old Batelum Tikro and 37-year-old Bainsi Manyu. Both are cousins. It is feared that both are in the custody of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). However, the Chinese army has not accepted this. 

Both went missing in August 2022

Batelum Tikro and his cousin Bainsi Manyu went missing from the Chaglagam area of Anjaw district in Arunachal Pradesh on August 19, 2022, when they went to search for medicinal herbs in the high-altitude area near the border. They have not been traced since then. 

The family of the missing youth said that the Chinese army had taken him into custody.

Tikro's brother Dishanso Chikro, while talking to news agency PTI over the phone, said, "I have come to know that they have been detained by the Chinese army." Chikro said that he has contacted the local military officials several times to gather information about his brothers. He also said, "I was told that the Indian Army had raised this issue with the Chinese Army but till now no response has been received from them."

Both youths are still alive- local MLA

Meanwhile, Anjaw MLA and state Women and Child Development Minister Dasanglu Pul confirmed that both of them went missing on the Chinese border while searching for medicinal herbs. He told on the phone, 'The Chinese side has not yet accepted that the two youths from Arunachal are in their custody. I have been told that both are alive.'

The villagers last saw both the youths on the China border

Chikro had lodged two missing complaints at the Hayuliang police station on 9 October 2022 after the two went missing. The complaint filed by Chikro said, 'Some villagers last saw them in the border areas on 24 August 2022 but since then no clue has been found about the two.' 

Manu has two small children.

According to the Aadhar cards of both the missing youths, Tikro is a resident of Doiliang. Manyu is a resident of Chiprogam in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. Tikro is unmarried, while Manyu is married. He has two small children. Anjaw District Council Chairman Sobalam Pul said that he came to know that the local military officials had raised the issue of two missing persons of Arunachal Pradesh with the Chinese army in the 'flag meeting' held on the border. 

The family appealed to bring them back.

He said, 'I don't know what the Chinese army responded to in the flag meeting? The parents of both the persons keep appealing to us to take some action. But we are helpless. We hope that they will return home safely.' 

People have been missing before

Let us tell you that this is not the first time that people from Arunachal Pradesh have gone missing on the border or have been detained by China's PLA. However, in most cases such people return home after a few days or weeks. This is the first time that two youths who have been missing for almost two years have not been traced.