Beijing: China today acknowledged for the first time that police had shot at and wounded four rioters in a Tibetan-inhabited area in southwestern Sichuan province, where protests broke out after anti-Beijing demonstrations in the restive Lhasa.

Police opened fire and wounded four rioters "out of self defence" after the protesters attacked them with knives and tried to seize weapons in the Tibetan-inhabited Aba County in Sichuan province on Sunday, local public security bureau said.

Quoting the bureau, official Xinhua news agency claimed the rioters continued attacking officers even after warning shots were fired and the wounded men fled in the midst of chaos. Fifteen police vehicles and office facilities were destroyed in the riots.

Shaken by the large-scale protests, China has rushed more troops to Tibet and neighbouring provinces to contain the pro-independence movement and arrested 24 people for "endangering national security" in intensified crackdown.

China has ordered its "largest mobilisation" since the unrest began on March 10,media reports said. About 400 troop carriers and other vehicles were seen on the main road in the Tibetan capital Lhasa.

Monks-led demonstrations had erupted into violence in the most intense protests in the two decades on Friday last, claiming 13 lives. The Tibet regional government said 170 people had "surrendered" for their role in the riots.

The protests had spread to Tibetan-inhabited areas of Sichuan and Gansu provinces, China said on Wednesday admitting for the first time that the unrest went beyond Lhasa.
Source : PTI