Six monks from Drilda monastery in Sog County have been “severely” beaten up by Chinese officials, Ngawang Tharpa, a Tibetan with contacts in the region, has reported. The monks had gone to the authorities to plea for the release of the four monks from their monastery who were arrested on March 17. They were detained and beaten. Following pleas from local people, they were released but it was clear that they had been beaten up and severely tortured in custody. Their names have not been released.