Sixty-three-year-old Gonpo from Tsongyon region under Bayan county was arrested on December 25, 1996, by the Public Security Bureau and his detention was officially announced in January 1997. However, the term of his sentence and present whereabouts are unknown.
Gonpo was reportedly arrested on charges of having contacts with the Tibetan Government-in-Exile based in Dharamsala, India. Gonpo, a graduate of West North National University in Lanzhou city under Kansu province, was the former Director of Section 5 of the People Investigation Office of Qinghai province. Since his retirement he has been residing in Xiling city, Qinghai.