DHARAMSHALA: The monk who killed himself by self-immolation demanding return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet was cremated on 17 August, with the Chinese government putting in place heavy security around the funeral site by deploying a large number of armed police.

Reports from Tibet said the authorities cordoned off the makeshift funeral site with three-layered security apparatus. Except monks of Nyatso Monastery, other people, including a group of nuns from Dragkar nunnery, were prevented from taking part in the funeral of Tsewang Norbu, whose life came to a tragic end just at the age of 29.

The monks of Nyatso monastery made special arrangements to conduct the last rites of the deceased monk near the monastery unlike the usual funeral.

The whole of Tawu county in general and Nyasto monastery in particular have been under heavy security since the monk’s death on 15 August. The phone lines were cut off on the night of the monk’s death and shops and schools remained close the next day under intense restriction by security forces.

Nyatso Monastery has been very critical of the Chinese authorities’ order to hoist China’s national flag at the monastery and the exploitation of the region’s natural resources.