Following the cremation of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche on 16 July, the authorities handed over the ashes to his family. A group of four Tibetans then began the journey back to Uthak monastery (Tenzin Delek’s home monastery) in Nyagchuka (Chinese: Yajiang) county, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) prefecture, Kham (now incorporated into China’s Sichuan province). The group included the acting abbot of Uthak monastery and two of Tenzin Delek’s relatives.
On the night of 17 July or early hours of 18 July, after the group arrived in Chaksamkha (also referred to as Jagsamka; Ch: Luding) in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, Chinese police raided their hotel and forcibly seized the ashes. When the group appealed for the return of the ashes, the police threatened to throw the ashes in the local river.
Since Tenzin Delek’s death there are reports of an increase in the number of troops deployed in Nyagachuka county and the surrounding region.
