Dharamshala: - Sources coming out Tibet say at least ten Tibetans were seriously injured when Chinese paramilitary police opened fire on crowds of Tibetan protesters in Sershul county in eastern Tibet calling for the release of their respected leader.

Dharamshala: - Sources coming out Tibet say at least ten Tibetans were seriously injured when Chinese paramilitary police opened fire on crowds of Tibetan protesters in Sershul county in eastern Tibet calling for the release of their respected leader.

'The incident came one day after a respected Tibetan man secretly detained from his home by Chinese authorities for allegedly opposing Chinese repressive policy,' sources in the region said.

"Wangdak, 45, was secretly taken away from his home by Chinese police at night 12 a.m., August 11, 2014 ," Ven Chabra Drimey Gyaltsen, a Tibetan monk currently living in exile in India told The Tibet Post International (TPI), citing sources in the region.

The next day, over hundred Tibetan residents in Sershul County (Chinese: Sêrxü county in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China's Sichuan province) gathered in front of a building in a rare rally to demand the release of the highly respected Tibetan man," Ven Gyaltsen said Wednesday.

Chinese security forces opened fire on a crowd of Tibetan protesters that wounded at least 10 Tibetans very seriously.

"Several Tibetans were severely injured after Chinese paramilitary forces opened fire on the large crowds. Wangdak's brother Sangpo and one of Wangdak's sons, who were among the crowds seriously injured," Ven Gyaltsen added.

Images also show two unidentified Tibetans suffering gunshot wounds to their backs, heads and hands. The details of other injuries remain unknown.

'For fear of arrest and torture by Chinese police, many young Tibetan men escaped from their village and hiding across mountains. Several of their family members, including women in the township remain under constant surveillance in their homes, and have reportedly severely beaten during questioning by Chinese police,' sources said.

'Large numbers of armed Chinese security forces arrived in Shokpa town shortly after the incident,' sources said, adding "the town is completely surrounded by Chinese forces."

Sources also said 'police beat and detained many Tibetan protesters and their condition is still unknown.'

"Local Chinese authorities have ordered a group of local Tibetan women to perform in order to give warm reception for a senior Chinese delegation who recently visited the county. But, the Tibetan performers later told their village leader Wangdak that the Chinese authorities harassed them during the visits of senior Chinese officials," sources said.

According to the sources, Wangdak adamantly opposed officials' unlawful acts toward the Tibetan women and argued with local authorities to seek justice. However the authorities accused him of organising "illegal" festival and prayer offering in response to his criticism. 'He has been accused of organising events "illegally", including an offering of incense and horse racing festival in Dhanma township without permission,' Gyaltsen said.

"Although the festivals have been held for hundreds of years and the cultural events are not illegal," Wangdak responded by saying that the "Constitution also guarantees the freedom of religious worship."

Authorities in the county and Chinese media did not reported the incident. Sources said that "Shokpa and Danma villages in Sershul County are now kept under heavy surveillance by armed Chinese paramilitary forces."

In Tibet today, Tibetans are being arbitrary arrested, imprisoned and tortured for merely expressing their suffering under Chinese rule. Beijing authorities however still claims that "China 'peacefully liberated' Tibet, and Tibetans today are happy under Chinese rule."