Modi-Xi Summit: Tibetan protesters detained by police, media taken in police vans to cover event

Five suspected Tibetans were detained by the police in Chennai on Friday for allegedly trying to stage a protest outside the star hotel where Chinese President Xi Jinping is slated to stay during his two-day visit here.

Jinping is slated to arrive later in the day to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their second informal summit at the nearby coastal town of Mamallapuram.

Police whisked away a person with the Tibetan flag who attempted to stage a sudden protest and were seen restraining him from raising any slogans.

He was whisked away in an autorickshaw by some police personnel even as four others were removed in a police vehicle.

The city of Chennai and Mamallapuram have turned into a fortress, with the star hotel where Jinping is scheduled to stay coming under a multi-tier security cover.

Modi and Jinping, who will arrive in Chennai this afternoon, are holding meetings on Friday and Saturday to discuss various bilateral issues.

It was not an air-conditioned bus nor was it a car that ferried the reporters to the media centre set up at the five star Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa to cover the second informal India-China Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The media were transported in five police vans to the media centre, about 20 km from Mahabalipuram.

For many journalists, it was for the first time that they boarded the police vans, resulting in jocular comments like `travelling in a police convoy'.

They also pitied the police who had to travel in such small vans with seats enough only for one-and-half-adult.

The East Coast Road (ECR) leading to the sculpture town Mahabalipuram wore a deserted look in view of the strict security arrangements.

It was like a bandh as almost all the shops en route were closed down.