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Dehra: More than 100 Tibetan exiles began serving two weeks of detention on Friday after police arrested them during a march to their homeland to protest against China's hosting of the Olympic Games, organisers of the march said.
The exiles are being kept in detention in a state-run hotel while authorities investigate charges they threatened the "peace and tranquility" of the region, said Tenzin Palkyi, a march coordinator.
On Thursday, the Tibetans refused to sign statements pledging to stop their march, which would have allowed their immediate release, said Veena Rani, an official in a local magistrate's office.
Magistrate Mamta, who uses one name, sentenced them to 14 days of judicial custody, Rani said. A decision on whether to free them or extend their custody would be made by the magistrate after two weeks, she said.
The demonstrators had vowed to march to Tibet, where they planned to arrive at the start of the Olympics in August. They ignored the warnings and continued their trek. On Thursday, police confronted them on the road in Dehra, 20 kilometres from the Kangra district boundary in Himachal Pradesh, and arrested about 130 protesters.
The marchers began a hunger strike shortly after their arrests, but called it off later that day, said Tibetan Youth Congress President Tsewang Rigzin.
Meanwhile, Tibet's government-in-exile yesterday defended the marchers.
"We have been enjoying considerable freedom in India and I do not think that this group of peaceful marchers going home have flouted any law of the country," said Thupten Samphal, official spokesman for the Tibetan government-in-exile in India.
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