New Delhi: Hundreds of Tibetans from across the country today took to the streets in the national capital to protest the Chinese crackdown in Tibet and demanding release of political prisoners languishing in jails in China.

Carrying Tibetan flags and shouting anti-China slogans, the demonstrators marched from Jantar Mantar to Parliament as part of their ongoing protests and demanded the release of about 1,000 political prisoners lodged in Chinese jails.

"About 400 political prisoners were locked up in Chinese jail before March ten. After the Lhasa uprising, about 500 Tibetans have reportedly been arrested by the Chinese authority," claimed Choekyong Wangchuk, Member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.

"But the number is just the tip of the iceberg. The ground reality is much more harsh. Every day from Tibetan villages scores of people go missing, which go unreported," Wangchuk told PTI.

He alleged that the detained Tibetans were not given any legal recourse.

"Although majority of the political prisoners continue to be monks and nuns, young Tibetans who represent a new wave of Tibetan nationalism often face harsh punishment," claimed Tseten Norbu, Member of the Assembly of Tibetan Peoples Deputy.

Many Tibetan youths and children have been arrested "without warrant", just "on the basis of suspicion of harbouring anti-Chinese opinions," he said.

The protestors held a candlelight vigil and prayers for world peace.

Source : PTI