Thubwang Kyab self-immolated near the bus stand on the main street of Setri village in a Tibetan region of Amdo. Tsewang died on the spot. Despite attempts by Chinese officials to intervene, local Tibetans covered Tsewang’s dead body with traditional Tibetan scarves (khatag) and took him to his hometown.

Gendun Phuntsok, an exile Tibetan monk living in South India, reported that many thousand Tibetans from around the region converged to pay their last respects to Thubwang Kyab.

“Tens of thousands of Tibetans attended the cremation of martyr Thubwang Kyab in his native hometown,” Phuntsok said, citing sources inside the region. “Even though Chinese armed forces were present, they failed to reach near the deceased’s body due to the overwhelming presence of Tibetans.”