People, NGOs demand that China's help be taken in search for Dorjee Khandu

[1]

Even four days after the massive search operations failed to locate the missing chopper carrying Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four others, local people and NGOs in Arunachal Pradesh today demanded that New Delhi take the help of Beijing.

"We are demanding from the state as well as the central government to ask China’s help to trace the chopper," Arunachal Citizen Rights (ACR) chairman Bamang Tago said.

All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) President Takam Tatung alleged, 'New Delhi is not taking the matter seriously'.

"India should immediately take up the matter with China seeking assistance for locating the chopper," he said.

Meanwhile, thousands of people were seen gathering before Khandu’s official residence waiting for information.

ISRO and Sukhoi jets have been deployed to scan the region for the missing chief minister, whose helicopter disappeared Saturday last. Indian authorities have, according to latest news, marked two specific spots where they maintain, the helicopter disappeared.

The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter carrying five people went missing after it took off from Tawang at 9.50 a.m. on Saturday. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border at an altitude of 13,700 feet.

"So far, there is no news. Rescue teams were unable to locate the missing helicopter although the operations, carried out by 3,000 army, police, and paramilitary troopers, have been focusing their search mission in seven locations, including one in Bhutan," central minister V. Narayanasamy told journalists here.

"Heavy snowfall and rains, coupled with poor visibility have been greatly hampering the rescue operation with the troops unable to venture with speed," the minister said.

Arunachal Pradesh MP Takam Sanjay, leading the search and rescue operation in the West Kameng district, said they had sought an additional 2,000 army soldiers for the search mission.

With the search yielding no results, locals are getting restive.

"If India is not capable of tracing the helicopter they should not hesitate to take China's help so that we could get technological support from them in locating the chopper," Takam Tatung, president of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union said.

Anger is palpable among local tribal people in this frontier mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, Myanmar and Bhutan.

"Everybody knows the terrain is rough and mountainous and it rains heavily most of the time, but is that an excuse? What would India do if China once again comes and attacks us," questioned Bamang Tago, leader of the Arunachal Citizens Rights.

Beijing in 2003 gave up its territorial claim over the Indian state of Sikkim but still holds on to its stand that nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it.