By Krishnan Guruswamy, Associated Press

NEW DELHI, India (AP) --- A Tibetan activist died of burns today, two days after he set himself on fire to protest China's rule of his homeland. The Dalai Lama called the suicide a sign of the "frustration and urgency'' among independence-seeking Tibetans.

Today, 20 young Tibetan monks gathered near the site in New Delhi where Thupten Ngodup, 50, poured kerosene over himself Monday and set himself ablaze. The monks chanted prayers and waved incense before a photo of Ngodup.

"His was an act of frustration that symbolizes what is going on in the minds of all Tibetans. We are really proud of him,'' onlooker Penzin Chhendong said.

Nearby, scores of Tibetans wailed and threw white scarves over Ngodup's shrouded body in a sign of respect.

Chanting prayers and crying, some 200 Tibetans later gathered around Ngodup's closed coffin in a Buddhist monastery. A handwritten cardboard sign propped at the foot of the coffin declared: "super hero's spirit will never die. (We) will follow one by one.''

Ngodup's corpse eventually would be sent to the northern city of Dharmsala, seat of the Dalai Lama's Tibetan government in exile, for cremation, said Tseten Norbu, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress.

Ngodup burned himself to protest Indian police intervention to stop a more than 6-week-old hunger strike by six other pro-independence Tibetans.

Police, saying they were acting on humanitarian grounds, took the six hunger strikers to the hospital in two groups on Sunday and Monday.

The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, visited Ngodup and the six hunger strikers in the hospital Tuesday.

He held the hand of the dying man, who moaned to signal his understanding of the Tibetan leader's words of encouragement.

"For many years, I'd been able to persuade the Tibetan people to eschew violence in our freedom struggle,'' the Dalai Lama said in a statement to reporters.

"Today, it's clear that a sense of frustration and urgency is building up among many Tibetans as evidenced by the unto-death hunger strike and the tragic incident.''

The Dalai Lama, whom many Tibetans believe is the incarnation of a Buddhist deity, is both the religious and political leader for the exiles and for many of the 6 million people who live in Chinese-ruled Tibet. Although radicals disagree with his methods, few challenge his authority.

Five Tibetans replaced the first six on hunger strike Tuesday. They vowed to fast until the U.N. General Assembly reopens debate on China's 1959 annexation of Tibet.

The hunger strikers also want the United Nations to appoint a human rights observer for Tibet and supervise a referendum on whether Tibetans want independence, greater autonomy or some other option.

© 1998 Associated Press .