In 1965, Lodroe was expelled from school for refusing to chant state-imposed slogans, instead shouting “Long Live America.” In 1975, he attempted to escape to India but was arrested, severely beaten, falsely accused of involvement in a resistance group, and imprisoned in Gutsa Prison. There, he spent more than six months in solitary confinement and was subjected to torture, including electric shocks, forced kneeling, beatings, and stabbing. He was labeled “black-capped,” a designation for political outcasts, and subsequently lived under constant surveillance and forced labor without pay until the partial release of political prisoners in 1979.

Despite repeated warnings, Lodroe continued to participate in peaceful protests in Lhasa throughout the 1980s, including during the 1989 demonstrations. He was arrested again in March 1989 and detained in several facilities, including Outidu and Seitru Prisons, where he endured further torture, abuse, and denial of due process.