DHARAMSHALA: Tenzin Lhundup, an elderly Tibetan monk and a respected Buddhist scholar from Driru, was arrested in May by Chinese police and was not heard from since, according to a Tibetan human rights organisation based in Dharamshala.

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy reported that Chinese police arrested the monk while he was giving a lecture on the status of Tibetan language and nationality to villagers of Shagchu town in the restive Driru county in Nagchu prefecture in Tibet.

The senior Buddhist scholar was reportedly arrested from Gom Gonsar Monastery at Lenchu Township in Driru County on a Wednesday, regarded as an auspicious day for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and widely celebrated as Lhakar, a movement to preserve Tibetan identity that emerged after the 2008 Tibetan uprising. It is still unknown on which Wednesday in May he was arrested.

Tenzin Lhundrup was also a respected Tibetan Buddhist scholar in the township. “He used to give Buddhist teachings to the local Tibetans, help arbitrate disputes, and advocate vegetarianism. He is known also for zealously advocating the need to preserve Tibetan identity. All of these initiatives had earned him much respect and admiration from the local Tibetans,” the report said.

Tenzin Lhundup has also spearheaded the local opposition to Chinese mining activities in the area last year, due to which he had been under constant surveillance from the Chinese police.

Tenzin Lhundup’s whereabouts and wellbeing remain unknown. The local Chinese authorities continue to maintain silence on the issue. The only explanation that they have provided till now is that he was involved in unlawful activities against the Chinese government, including his participation in last year’s mining protests.