Tibetan Youth Congress President Gonpo Dhundup along with other 14 TYC members have been detained by Indian police from the airport and Indo-China bilateral Summit venue just before Xi Jinping's arrival in India, on Friday, October 11, 2019.

Sources said TYC President and other five activists have been taken to Guindy Police Station. Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi who arrived in Chennai Friday morning was received by top Tamil Nadu officials at the airport. Modi had tweeted.Xi will land in Chennai later in the afternoon, and will proceed to Mahabalipuram, 50 km away, amid tight security.

Some of the Tibetan Youth Congress members holding their national flags and banners reading "free Tibet", Tibet Burning" and "Enough China," staging peaceful protests near Mamallapuram, Indo-China Summit venue and but they were later detained by the Indian police.

TYC General Secretary, Sonam Tsering said that the police had arrested 15 of his group’s members as they waited for the Chinese leader’s entourage in Chennai. “Initially, we tried to wait until Xi arrived at his hotel, but six of us were detained there, while police arrested six of our other Tibetan youth protesters from where they waited at the airport exit,” he stressed.

“We have three other protesters who were to demonstrate ahead of Xi’s arrival at the airport, but they were also arrested moments ago.” A short video clip shows Dhundup shouted slogans such as "Free Tibet" and “We want freedom,” as he was “wrestled away by a group of policemen” and taken away in a waiting autorickshaw.

Earlier on Friday, TYC issued a press statement saying it “strongly condemns” Chinese President Xi’s visit following China’s celebration of the 70th anniversary of Communist rule on October. 1, which is called recognition of “70 years of oppression and aggression against the people of Tibet.”

The statement also urged Indian Prime Minister Modi to take up the issue of Tibet with Xi during their informal summit and called on the Indian government to release TYC cultural secretary Yeshi Chomphel, Students for a Free Tibet-India national director Rinzin Choedon, and prominent Tibetan activist Tenzin Tsundue, along with Tibetan students who are being held by police prior to Xi’s arrival.

“We also urge the Indian government for the quick release of TYC President Gonpo Dhondup along with 11 students members of RTYC Bangalore who were arrested today just before the president Xi Jinping’s arrival at the summit venue,” the statement said.

On Sunday, October 6, Police have detained nine Tibetan activists for organising a protest, days ahead of a planned visit by President Xi to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi. Tibetan protesters are the Members of Tibetan Students Association of Madras (TSAM), Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT).

The Chinese Communist totalitarian regime (PRC) began their invasion of Tibet in 1949, reaching complete occupation of the country in 1959. Since that time, more than 1.2 million people, 20% of the nation's population of six million, have died as a direct result of China's illegal invasion and ruthless occupation. In addition, over 99% of Tibet's six thousand religious monasteries, temples, and shrines, have been looted or decimated resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sacred Buddhist scriptures.