Injured police officer

This injured police officer, Liu Dingwei, is now in hospital. He had just become a policeman in the Tibet Autonomous Region last December. But the young police officer was severely hurt trying to put a stop to the riots and marauding mob.

The young police officer was severely hurt trying to put  a stop to the riots and marauding mob.

March 13th marked Liu Dingwei’s 19th birthday. But on the day after his birthday, March 14th, the riots broke out near Ramoche Temple, in Lhasa. Many young police officers such as Liu Dingwei responded to the call for help -- to restore calm to the area and stop the marauding rioters.

But Liu Dingwei and his fellow policemen held their ground. This, despite being pelted by rocks and suffering injuries trying to deal with the hostile mob of rioters.

Injured police officer, Liu Dingwei

Liu Dingwei said, "The order we receive is that we should never fight back even if we are beaten never retort even if cursed and stay calm even if we are spat on the face."

The armed police officers exercised maximum restraint. But the mobsters showed no mercy. Liu Dingwei's head was seriously wounded in a barrage of stones. He almost fainted.

Liu Dingwei said, "I was hit on the head. I was already half conscious by then. But someone drew out his Tibetan dagger and chopped me."

The squad leader rescued half-conscious Liu Dingwei from the hands of the mobsters and escorted him to the hospital. Medical examinations show that Liu Dingwei's hip is seriously wounded. The cuts were so deep that his bones were exposed and the muscles were also parted. His head was scratched.

The 19-year-old has not told his parents and grandfather that he was injured and hospitalized. And his love for Lhasa remains unchanged despite the experience in the riots on March 14th.

Liu Dingwei said, "I like Lhasa and Tibetan people. On March 14th, I saw Tibetan compatriots rescue our armed police officers."