Chinese soldier returns home from India after five decades

Beijing (PTI): A Chinese soldier, who was stuck in India for over 50 years after he crossed over the border following the 1962 war, arrived here on Saturday with his Indian family members to an emotional reunion with his Chinese kin.

Wang Qi, 77, was received by his close Chinese relatives, besides officials of the China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indian Embassy when he arrived here along with his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter from Delhi-Beijing flight. Wang became emotional as he hugged his relatives, their first reunion after he crossed into Indian side over five decades ago.

"It was an emotional reunion," an official present at the airport told PTI here. Wang was accompanied by his son Vishnu Wang, 35, daughter-in-law Neha and granddaughter, Khanak Wang.

His Indian wife Shushila, however, stayed back.
Before leaving for Beijing, Vishnu told media in India on Friday that "my father joined the Chinese Army in 1960 and he entered India through the eastern frontier after losing his way in the darkness one night."

He landed in Assam where an Indian Red Cross team handed him over to the Indian Army on January 1, 1963.

"My father spent six years in prisons in Assam, Ajmer, Delhi before the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered his release in March 1969," Vishnu said. "The Indian government had promised to the court that it will rehabilitate my father.

He was taken to Delhi, Bhopal, Jabalpur and then finally handed over to Balaghat police," said his son.

Wang started working as a watchman with a mill and soon his colleagues named him Raj Bahadur, apparently due to his Nepali features, Vishnu said.

Wang's mother died in 2006 but he could not be with his dear ones in the time of grief, Vishnu said. Three years later he met his nephew Yun Chun, who had come to India as a tourist and narrated his ordeal to him.