Tibetan youth sets himself on fire at Bouddha Stupa

Bouddha area of Kathmandu remained tensed Wednesday morning after a young Tibetan exile set himself on fire near the Bouddhanath Stupa.

The Tibetan youth in monk’s robe and believed to be in his 20s committed self-immolation at around 8:45 am this morning to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet.

The unidentified youth doused himself with petrol inside the washroom of the Golden Eye café on the premises of the Stupa and set himself on fire just before stepping out from the café. He then tried to run around the Stupa chanting ‘Free Tibet’ before police accosted him, reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying.

Police personnel in the vicinity managed to put out the fire that had by now engulfed the youth using jacket and blanket from a shop and took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The Tibetan youth was later rushed to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgunj where he is undergoing treatment for severe burn injuries in the Intensive Care Unit. Reports quoted doctors involved in the treatment the youth is in a critical condition and may not survive the ordeal.

This is the second case of "self-immolation" attempt by a Tibetan in Kathmandu and coincides with the day that marks the proclamation of Tibet’s independence by Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama. The self-immolation bid also comes ahead of planned protest rallies by Tibetan living in Kathmandu. nepalnews.com