Arunachal: Family of Tapor Pullom abducted by PLA in 2015 implores Govt for help

ITANAGAR: While the family of Miram Taron, who had been abducted by China’s PLA on 18 January, celebrates his return, another family, in Monigong in Shi-Yomi district, is still waiting for Tapor Pullom, who is believed to have been abducted by the PLA in 2015 from the LAC, to return home.

Hailing from the remote Shi Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh where network connectivity and road connectivity are very bad, the abducted man's family gathered at the capital to urge for the safe release of Pulom.

The family members have knocked on the doors of the Indian Army and union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, but still there is no news about him.

“All his (Pullom’s) items, including documents and clothes, are still with us. It’s been seven years but the family is still hoping that he will return,” said Amoni Diru Pullom, the daughter-in-law of Tapor Pulom

In the third week of August 2015, Pulom, along with his friend Taka Yorchi had gone on a hunting expedition near the LAC in Monigong area of Shi-Yomi district. People of the area usually go hunting, staying in the jungles for many days, sometimes up to a month.

“Their target was to return by the end of September. On 11 September, during the course of the hunting expedition, his partner Taka Yorchi started to feel unwell. He returned home and informed the family that Tapor Pullom had decided to continue hunting and would return home by 15 September, 2015,” a close family friend said.

On 15 September, 2015, when Pullom did not return, the family started to worry. However, they waited for two more days before sending out a search team to locate him.

“When the search party reached the jungle camp where he was hunting in the Monigong border pass, they found all the items of Tapor, including his 12 bore gun, intact. The camp was in proper order. Only Tapor Pullom was missing,” the family friend added.

The search team examined the whole area to find clues about him. “They did not find any sign of accident or human death at the campsite and the nearby areas. The search team came to the conclusion that he was caught by the Chinese PLA as the jungle where they were hunting is very near to the Chinese border. The PLA often intrudes into Arunachal’s territory in the area,” the family friend added.

The search team went out to locate Pullom twice, and returned empty-handed both times. Left with no choice, the family approached the Indian Army and the local administration for help.

“Unfortunately, no one really helped the family. The family has faced a lot of trouble. No one came to their rescue, which is very sad,” said the family friend.

While Pullom’s wife died after a prolonged illness, his two sons and three daughters are still waiting for him to return. “We still believe that he is alive. But we also want a conclusion and want to know exactly what happened to him. This everlasting wait for him is very painful for the entire family,” said Pullom's daughter-in-law.

The family has appealed to the state government to take up the matter with the central government and the Chinese authorities. “The safe return of Miram Taron has rekindled our hope. We make a fervent appeal to Chief Minister Pema Khandu and union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju to help us locate our father,” added Amoni Diru Pullom.

Member of Parliament from Eastern Parliamentary constituency, Tapir Gao also raised this issue in his speect in Parliament.He said that he will soon write a letter to the Union Home and Defence ministers regarding the abduction of Arunachalee citizen Pullom by China’s PLA in August 2015.

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