DHARAMSHALA, APRIL 19: A relative of the latest Tibetan who died following a self immolation protest in Tibet’s Tawu region on April 15 has been arrested for taking pictures of the self immolator and sending it out, Lobsang Jinpa, a Tibetan exile said.
Rikchung, who owned a shop in Khangsar town where his relative Thinley Namgyal, 32, burned himself to death, was arrested as the Chinese authorities accused him of taking pictures of Thinlay’s protest and sending it to outside forces.
The local Chinese authorities forced Thinley’s family to cremate his body immediately, said a source.
China has arrested and sentenced several Tibetans for alleged connections with self immolation protests in various regions of Tibet.
Jinpa said the Chinese authorities shut all communication lines in the town to blackout all information on the latest self immolation by a Tibetan, 131st since 2009.
Thinley Namgyal set himself ablaze around 12 noon (local time) in Khangsar town, Tawu County of Kardze region, in the traditional TIbetan province of Kham. Thinley succumbed to his burns immediately. His body was taken to Gangthel monastery for prayers and was later handed over to his family.
Thinley lived with his father Dulho and mother Pelha in Khangsar township, Tawu County.
