Chinese Govt. dismisses claims of shooting of Tibetan youth

New Delhi, Mar 3 (ANI): The Chinese Government has dismissed a claim by "Tibet independence" groups that the Chengdu police has shot a young Tibetan who attempted to set himself on fire in Sichuan province on Friday.

The 24-year-old man, identified as Tashi, had attempted self-immolation using inflammables while holding a portrait of the Dalai Lama and a "snow lion flag" meant to represent "Tibetan independence" on a street in the Aba county seat.

The police had immediately sprung into action and doused the fire.

Tashi was then taken to the nearby hospital, where he is said to be in a stable condition.

Earlier, pro-Tibet activists in London and Hong Kong reported that Chinese police shot a monk called Tabe after he set himself on fire

According to The Telegraph, Tabe walked down the main street into nearby Aba town, dousing himself with petrol, finally immolating himself in front of numerous witnesses.

The Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet said they had several different accounts of what happened next.

Armed police, who have flocked into Tibetan areas of China in advance of the 50th anniversary of the uprising that saw the Dalai Lama flee into exile on March 10, surrounded the monk.

Three were seen to be carrying guns, and according to one account, three shots were heard.

Tabe then fell to the ground, where the police extinguished the flames. He was then put into the back of a police van and driven away.

There were no reports of his condition, but local people feared he had died, according to witnesses. (ANI)