DHARAMSHALA, MARCH 28: The largest Buddhist institution in the world, Larung Gar, is still witnessing demolition of its dwellings vacated by forcefully evicted monks and nuns over the past several months if a video circulating on the social media is anything to go by.

An unverified video shot reportedly by a monk shows Chinese workers demolishing empty houses, leaving behind wreckages on the road that once donned red-walled quarters on its either end.

An unnamed abbot at Larung Gar on March 23 said in an audio message to fellow monks and nuns that the demolition would begin on March 24 and that there were still ‘around 2000 homes remaining to be brought down’.

In some cases, eyewitnesses said, monks and nuns were seen helping each other to knock down the quarters ahead of scheduled demolition in order to save their belongings and store the timbers for future use.

According to the same abbot, a total of 4,828 monks and nuns had left Larung Gar since the forceful eviction began in 2016. While tension still lingering upon the remaining monks they have been asked to remain patient and not to protest.

Founded by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok in 1980, the Buddhist center once boasted around 10000 students including Han Chinese students studying at the institution. However, Beijing last year initiated a campaign to half the sprawling population in the name of development and renovation despite outcry from exile Tibetans and right groups.

Phayul,march 28, 2017