18-yr-old monk immolates self in Tibet

Amidst reports of continuing crackdown on Tibetans by Chinese authorities, an 18-year-old monk has reportedly died after setting himself ablaze in Tibet taking the self- immolation toll to 120.

Amidst reports of continuing crackdown on Tibetans by Chinese authorities, an 18-year-old monk has reportedly died after setting himself ablaze in Tibet taking the self- immolation toll to 120.

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A Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) official said that Kunchok Sonam, 18, a monk at Thangkor Sogtsang monastery in Zoege county of Ngaba region in eastern Tibet, set himself on fire on July 20, while returning from the monastery after a daily prayer service and died on the spot.

“Local Tibetans prevented the police from taking away the body, which a report says was then consigned to the nearby Machu river,” the officials said, adding that the situation in the region remains tense as Chinese authorities have deployed a large number of security forces at the monastery and have disconnected the telephone and Internet lines.

CTA is verifying the details of the incident, he added.