China raises the death toll in Lhasa riots to 18, injured 382

BEIJING: Raising the death toll, China on Saturday said 18 civilians and a police officer were killed in the riots during monks-led protests in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on Friday last.
    
The government had earlier put the toll in the violence at 13, all civilians.
    
Quoting the Tibet regional government, official Xinhua news agency said 241 police officers were injured, 23 critically and one police official was killed by the mob.
    
It also updated the number of injured civilians from 325 to 382, including 58 seriously.
    
In the fiercest-ever protest against the Chinese rule that rocked Lhasa and spread to Sichuan and Gansu provinces, the marauding mobs had attacked and set fire to buildings, shops, schools and vehicles. The losses have been estimated at $34.59 million.
    
Police said 183 "perpetrators" of the riots had surrendered to them so far.
    
The government had issued a deadline to the rioters to turn themselves by the midnight of Monday last, promising them leniency.
    
Stepping up its clampdown, the authorities yesterday released the pictures of 21 "most wanted" suspects.
    
Troops have descended on the restive Tibetan areas boosting the government crackdown on the simmering unrest.
    
For the first time since the volcanic eruption of violence during monks-led protests Friday last that jolted the Communist leadership, China yesterday admitted that the police opened fire and wounded four protesters at Aba county in southwestern Sichuan province on Sunday.