DHARAMSHALA, December 9: A teenaged Tibetan schoolgirl set herself on fire today in eastern Tibet protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and calling for the long life of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Bhenchen Kyi, 17, set herself on fire in Dokarmo region of Tsekhog, Rebkong, eastern Tibet at around 8 pm (local time). She passed away at the site of her protest.

Sonam, a Tibetan living in Switzerland, told Phayul that Bhenchen Kyi raised slogans for the ‘long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’ and for the ‘Tibetan people to prevail for tens of thousands of years’ while engulfed in flames.