Authorities detain four Tibetans for carving mani stone in Kegudo, Tibet

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Four individuals accused of violating the law while overseeing donations to create mani stones were reportedly apprehended in Kegudo town of Kham in Tibet on December 12 at 8:30 a.m. local time, according to Tibettimes.

Annually, Kegudo observes the tradition of inaugurating mani stone engravings on auspicious occasions. This year, donations were collected from various Tibetan regions to produce thousands of mani stones. A source disclosed that this year witnessed a substantial influx of donations from other regions, estimated at 2.5 million yuan, which exceeded the production of the previous years.

Local law enforcement arrived at the scene, asserting that the organizers were leveraging religion and ancestral influence for personal recognition, ultimately deceiving the general public. The four primary organizers taken into custody were Lhokar, Nyima, Tsetar, and Rinchen.

Another source within Kegudo town informed Tibettimes that the police intervened, demanding the halt of mani stone carving, leading to the detention of the four, who are currently in custody.

Nyima and Lhokar, siblings, operate a store specializing in traditional textiles and religious artefacts in Kegudo town. Meanwhile, Tsetar hails from Dhitoe Zhong, and Rinchen hails from Mani, earning a livelihood by carving mani stones.