Trulku Ka Bukey, born in 1966, was a former religious teacher at Nubsur Monastery. The monastery, which was more than three centuries old, was completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976. Following its reconstruction and restoration by local Tibetans in the 1980s, religious studies and monastic practices gradually resumed.

In 1995, during the 40th founding anniversary celebrations of Serta County, Trulku Ka Bukey organised and led a peaceful 25-kilometre march from Nubsur Monastery advocating Tibetan freedom and independence. During the demonstration, he reportedly distributed pro-independence leaflets and carried the Tibetan national flag while calling for the liberation of Tibet. His activities attracted the attention of the Chinese authorities amid heightened restrictions on Tibetan political expression.

In early 1996, he became the head of Nubsur Monastery; however, shortly thereafter, on 10 February 1996, he was arrested by the People’s Armed Police (PAP). Following his arrest, he was held incommunicado without access to family members or legal representation. In January 2000, in response to inquiries raised before UNESCO, the Chinese government confirmed that Trulku Ka Bukey had been sentenced to between six and seven years’ imprisonment in Aba Prefecture. Chinese authorities further claimed that he was in good health while in detention. His case became emblematic of the repression faced by Tibetan religious leaders and political activists advocating peaceful self-determination.