‘Tibetan leaders detained ahead of Wen's visit to Bangalore’
(The Hindu | April 9, 2005)

Police have detained two leaders of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) as a preventive measure ahead of the arrival of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, here this evening on a four-day visit to India. Police said the RTYC leaders, Pema Tseten and Gelek Passang, were taken into custody today to prevent them from mobilising Tibetan students to stage a "surprise" protest here.

"They have been detained as a preventive measure," Bangalore Police Commissioner S Mariswamy, told PTI. Bangalore is home to over 100 Tibetan families while nearly 500 students pursue their studies in the city.

Police have also stepped up security near the Tibetan hostel in Koramangala, screening people who enter and venture out, as a security measure during the two-day stay of the Chinese leader in the city.

Members of the Friends of Tibet and RTYC yesterday said "impromptu" protests will be held in the city, as the city police had denied permission to hold a 24-hour fast in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue during Wen's visit.

Karnataka is home to 40,000 Tibetans who are staying at Bylakuppe, Kollegal, Mundgod and Hunsur settlements. Karnataka was the first to offer land to the Tibetan refugees soon after the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, was offered asylum by India in 1959.

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