Tibetan who set self ablaze has died

2012-03-28 10:01

New Delhi - A Tibetan exile who set himself alight two days ago in New Delhi in a protest against a visit to the city by Chinese President Hu Jintao died on Wednesday from severe burn injuries, a fellow activist said.

Jamphel Yeshi, aged 27, was captured in dramatic photographs on Monday when he doused himself in fuel, lit himself and ran screaming down a road as his body was covered in flames.

He collapsed to the ground as other Tibetans, who had gathered to protest against alleged repression by the Chinese government in their homeland, tried to beat out the flames using coats.

Doctors had described Yeshi's burns when he arrived at the hospital as extremely serious and said he had little chance of surviving.

Sonam Lepcha, a fellow activist, said by telephone from the hospital that a doctor had come out on Wednesday and said Yeshi was dead.

President Hu is due to land in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon to attend Thursday's summit of the BRICS group of developing nations, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

- AFP