By Tendar Tsering

DHARAMSHALA, May 21: After walking for eight days on Nepali soil and covering hundreds of kilometers, the Kathmandu police finally detained the lone Tibetan marcher today in the morning.

Tsetan Dorjee, who was carrying forward his march to Tibet, was detained by the police at Thumpo Rin, 15 kms from the Nepali capital city Kathmandu today at 7:15 am (local time).

His associates fear that he might be deported back to India or even jailed in Nepal.

“Police were said to have been waiting for Tsetan Dorjee with a photo of hiss in their hands and upon his arrival at Thumpo Rin, he was immediately detained,” Mogru Tenpa, a member of Tibetan Parliament, and a close associate of the marcher said.

According to Tenpa, human rights groups in Nepal are increasingly concerned about the exiled Tibetan. “Rights groups in Nepal are also keeping a close watch on the developments and have told us that the marcher could be returned to India soon,” Tenpa added.

The Speaker of Tibetan Parliament, Penpa Tsering had also expressed his fear that the marcher might be jailed in Nepal while addressing a public meet last Saturday.

Tsering had also appealed to the Tibetan NGOs and the Central Tibetan Administration to organise activities in support of the march to Tibet.

After marching for over two months and covering more than 1300 kms, the exile family of Tsetan Dorjee, his mother Dhumpo Kyi ans sister Lhamo Kyi were stopped by Nepali border police and forcibly returned to India this month.

However, slipping past Nepali border posts, Dorjee left behind his mother and sister on the Indian side and carried on with his March to Tibet in Nepal.

The family had earlier expressed hope that Nepali authorities will not be a hindrance to their march, while making it clear that they will persist with their journey even if stopped or arrested at any point.

“We are not using any anti-Nepal slogans nor undertaking any anti-Nepal activities. I think Nepali police have no reason to overreact,” Dorjee had told Phayul.

Tsetan Dorjee along with his mother Dhumpo Kyi and sister Lhamo Kyi began their March to Tibet from Dharamshala, the seat of Central Tibetan Administration on March 10, coinciding with the 53rd anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day.

Upon reaching back to Dharamshala on Thursday, Tsetan’s mother along with a group of Tibetans sat on a 48-hour long fast in support of Dorjee.