On Monday, 27 year-old Jamphel Yeshi self-immolated at a protest in New Delhi, days before a visit by China’s President, Hu Jintao. He was seen running down the street some 100 yards, engulfed in flames while screaming, before protesters and Indian authorities tossed a blanket over him to put out the flames; Yeshi suffered burns over 98% of his body and was taken to Ram Manohar Hospital.
Yeshi is a resident of Majnu Ka Tilla, in New Delhi, and had escaped Chinese-ruled Tibet in 2006, living in India in exile since. According to Tibet Post International, “Sources stated that his flesh has been severely burnt and that the skin peeling off his torso was clearly visible from the back of the vehicle he was towed away in.”
Photo via Tibet Post International