2 Tibetans held for spying
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Sept 16 — The Kangra police yesterday arrested two Tibetan nationals for spying on the activities of the Tibetan Government-in-exile at McLeodganj for China.

The district police chief, Mr K.C. Sadiyal, said here today. Chomphel, alias Sonum Choetse (29), a resident of Chamde district in Tibet, was arrested along with Migmar (30), a resident of Shasur in Lhasa, for spying at McLeodganj. The seat of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and the Tibetan Government-in-exile, for China.

The S.S.P. said Chomphel arrived in McLeodganj on June 30, this year and with the assistance of a local Tibetan guide Migmar, who had sympathies for China and had been staying at McLeodganj for the past four years, started spying activities.

Chomphel confessed during sustained interrogation that he had undergone four years' and nine months' training conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1984 in China, the SSP said.

He had directions to collect and pass on some critical and important information regarding the Tibetan Government-in-exile and security agency operating in the area to China. The police recovered certain documents, maps, sketches and photographs from his possession.

The police has recovered sketches of the Dalai Lama's palace, the historical Tibetan temple near the palace and vital information of strategically important places in the area and that of military intelligence network in the area.

The SSP said the police action has thwarted the efforts of the spies to pass on important documents and sketches to China. He said this was the result of the movement of suspected persons in the area being under watch.

He said interrogation was on and more important and vital information was likely to come out. Army intelligence officials were questioning Chomphel.

The SSP said there was no threat to the life of Dalai Lama. Security had been beefed up in and around the palace of the Dalai Lama following the arrests.