Several hundred TYC activists arrested during Beijing Olympic torch relay in India.

New Delhi: Members of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) from all over India converged on New Delhi to protest during the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay on April 17th. We were protesting against the Beijing Olympic torch relay through Tibet, Beijing Olympics and against the brutal crackdown on peaceful Tibetan protestors recently by the illegal Communist Chinese regime in Tibet. Around 45 activists participated in the Tibet Independence Torch relay on April 15th which was launched at the same venue where the Beijing Olympic torch relay were to take place two days later. The significance of Tibet Independence Torch relay before the Beijing Olympic Torch relay on the same venue was to highlight the fact that the Tibetan nation existed independently before the invasion by the illegal Communist Chinese regime in Tibet. This torch relay was covered extensively by national and international media. 33 activists were arrested and are currently detained in Tihar jail (Central jail of India). 65 activists protested at the Chinese Embassy here on April 16th even though the embassy was surrounded by a sea of police personnel since March 10th. The protestors were able to protest for around 20 minutes before being arrested and loaded into police vans and buses. This protest was also reported worldwide by the media. 48 activists were arrested and are currently detained in Tihar jail. On April 17th, over 300 activists were divided into six groups to protest during the arrival of the torch on Indian soil and the torch relay accompanied by members of national and international media. Due to unprecedented security arrangements by India for the Beijing Olympic torch relay, the Tibetan protestors were not allowed anywhere near the venue of the torch relay. Tibetans were stopped, turned back or arrested several kilometers away from the torch relay venue. Even the Indian public was not allowed to attend the torch relay ceremony except for the selected few. There were three layers of security including forces from Border Security Force and over 15,000 security personnel. Media has reported that the security arrangement was much more extensive than the security for India;s Republic Day, the most secured annual event of India. All but few of these 300 activists were arrested and are in Tihar jail. All the activists were arrested by different police units and among those arrested activists; several of them were beaten by Mayapuri police of Southwest Delhi resulting in a broken leg of 19 year old Tenzin Dema of Gangtok and broken hands of Phurbu Dawa of Dhalhousie. All TYC campaigns have been peaceful and non-violent and clearly repudiate the recent baseless allegations by China against Tibetan Youth Congress.