Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said that the Indian Army has reached out to its counterpart in China, following media reports of five men getting ‘kidnapped’ by Chinese forces. The minister was replying to a journalist on Twitter who had asked him for an update about the situation.

Tagging Rijiju, the Hindi television news journalist had asked, “Out of concern, I ask again..What is the update on those 5 Indians reportedly abducted by Chinese #PLA in #ArunachalPradesh as reported yesterday?”

“The Indian Army has already sent hotline message to the counterpart PLA establishment at the border point in Arunachal Pradesh. Response is awaited,” Rijiju replied.

On Saturday, the Arunachal Pradesh police had launched a probe after reports said that five people were allegedly kidnapped by the Chinese military on Friday, news agency PTI reported quoting an official.

The incident took place in the Nacho area in a forest in Upper Subansiri district along the border of India-China where the five persons had gone for hunting, said their families. Two others, who were in the group, managed to escape and informed the police.