Tibetan who immolated himself cremated at Mcleod Ganj

Thousands of exiled Tibetans on Friday assembled in Dharamsala to bid adieu to Tawu Jamphel Yeshi, who self-immolated at New Delhi to protest the visit of Chinese president Hu Jintao.

Yeshi, who self-immolated on March 26, succumbed to burn injuries on March 28.

His body was brought to Mcleod Ganj, seat of exiled Tibetan government, and kept in a coffin to enable Tibetans to pay homage before it was taken for cremation.

Strict security arrangements were made by the district administration to avoid any untoward incident.

A special mass prayer meeting was held at the place near Tsuglagkhang temple -- near the residence of spiritual Buddhist leader Dalai Lama -- where the coffin was placed. Yeshi was cremated at the local crematorium according to Buddhist rites and traditions.

Addressing the prayer meeting, Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Penpa Tsering said, "Hu Jintao is responsible for two more lives since he came to India. The question is how many more Tibetan lives have to be sacrificed before the issue of Tibet is to be resolved."

A statement by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said it was saddened to learn of the report of self-immolation by a young Tibetan in Ngaba in northeastern Tibet.

"We urge the Chinese leadership to heed the recommendations of the international community on its counter-productive policies and address the problem of Tibet through dialogue," Dicki Chhoyang, CTA minister for information and international relations, said.

As many as 31 Tibetans have so far set themselves on fire since 2009, to press the demand for return of the Dalai Lama and exiled Tibetans to their homeland Tibet.

Nearly six million Tibetans live in Tibet while over 150,000 are living as refugees in India and other countries.