DHARAMSHALA, December 5 – Thirty year old Tibetan man who set himself ablaze in Tibet’s Meruma town in Ngaba County on Tuesday had reportedly succumbed to his burn injuries, a former political prisoner now living here said.
Kunchok Tseten shouted slogans demanding the return of exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama and union of Tibetans inside Tibet and exiles. “Long live Gyalwa Tenzin Gyatso, lets unite our brothers here and those in exile”, he shouted before collapsing a few metres away.
Chinese police on routine patrol immediately surrounded him not allowing local Tibetans who were preventing them from taking the charred body away. The police finally took away Kunchok after a few clashes with the police. Tseten’s wife Namnang, 28, and a few of his relatives were arrested. A few bystanders involved in manhandling with the police were also arrested.
Chinese police had handed over an urn of ashes reportedly of Kunchok Tseten to a relative of his wife. If the police version is anything to go by, Tseten breathed his last on the way to Barkham County. The police did not inform the family of the deceased and said that they cremated Tseten immediately.
Tseten is survived by his wife and two children, Chakdor Kyab; 4, and Paltsel Kyab; 3.
