Tibetan youth on motorbike shot and wounded by Chinese police in Drango County
DHARAMSALA, Mar 11: A Tibetan youth has been shot and wounded by Chinese authorities on Mar 10 after he refused to stop his motor bike when police tried to pull him over in Drango County in the traditional Kham Province in eastern Tibet.
A Tibetan source with contacts in the region said the Tibetan youth identified as Tamdin, a native of Drongru Village, in Drango County’s Dhado Township was travelling along with two other Tibetan youths from the same village on motorbike to attend a local Buddhist ritual of burning incense and flying prayer flags to please the local protector deity. When police ordered them to pull over, the three Tibetan youths who were carrying prayer flags on their motorbikes did not yield to the order as they thought it’s their basic human right to fly prayer flag and pray just as all other Tibetans do.
“As they continued on their motorbikes, the police fired at them and Tamdin, the son of Dragkhatsang family was hit on his right thigh,” the source said.
The two other youths reportedly managed to escape unharmed.
Due to heavy restrictions imposed in the area following the incident, it could not be confirmed whether Tamdin has been detained or rushed to a hospital for treatment.
As the incident coincided with the 56th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising day, the possibility of political reasons behind the shooting could not be overlooked as the police could have noted the motorbikes’ registration number and booked them later rather than resorting to shooting.
Chinese policemen shooting at Tibetans without any valid reason in Drango County is not unprecedented. On Jan 23, 2012 two Tibetans were killed and more than 30 injured when police in Drango County fired on peaceful Tibetan protesters calling for freedom.
