By Tendar Tsering

DHARAMSHALA, May 12: The three members of the exile family on their march to Tibet, who were detained by Nepali police, have been reportedly beaten up and returned back to India.

Tsetan Dorjee along with his mother Dhumpo Kyi and sister Lhamo Kyi were stopped at a border checkpoint in Sonauli on Thursday and detained by Nepali officials.

Protesting the police action, the three sat on a hunger fast, which was broken by the police late in the night.

The police resorted to lathi charge on the marchers, injuring the 54 year-old Dhumpo Kyi. Her condition was aggravated further by the heavy rainfall under which the family was forced to cross back on to Indian soil under the cover of night.


“At around 9 pm, the police broke up the protest of the three marchers with lathi charge and forced them to return back in heavy rainfall,” Soepa, a close friend of Tsetan Dorjee told Phayul. “Dhumpo Kyi suffered injuries to her back and legs and was a later taken to a hospital in Gorakhpur.”

Nepali officials had reportedly told the exile family that their march would be allowed on Nepali soil if they took down and gave up the Tibetan national flags that they were carrying along with Indian, Nepali, and Chinese flags.

“The three refused to give in to the demands of the Nepali officials while declining to go back to India,” Soepa, who had a lengthy conversation with Tsetan said.

Entering India, the police gave the marchers hot water and at around ten in the night, they retired for the night at a nearby Hindu temple.

According to Soepa, the family is still determined to continue their March to Tibet after Dhumpo Kyi recovers from her injuries.

“I know Tsetan won’t give up, so I spoke to his sister but she couldn’t utter a word as she was crying. Their mother is determined to resume the march,” Soepa said.

“I will carry on the march even if I have to crawl,” Soepa quoted Dhumpo Kyi as saying.

The three began their March to Tibet from the exile Tibetan headquarters of Dharamshala on March 10, coinciding with the 53rd Tibetan National Uprising Day.

“The sad part is that there was no one, Tibetan or people from the media, to witness the brutality that the three family members were subjected to,” Soepa added.