KATHMANDU , Nepal ( CNN ) -- Nepalese authorities Thursday detained at least 650 Tibetan exiles protesting against China 's policies in the province ahead of this weekend 's Olympic torch relay in Tibet , security officials in Kathmandu said . A protester is grabbed by Nepalese police during a demonstration in Kathmandu . Police also arrested and charged three local Tibetan community leaders with organizing the protest , after seizing them from their homes Thursday morning . It is the largest single-day round-up of Tibetan protesters in Nepal since the demonstrations broke out in March following China 's bloody crackdown on protesters in Tibet . It is also the first time that Nepalese authorities have charged any Tibetan exiles in connection with the protests . Nepalese police forcefully dragged some of the protesters to awaiting vans and drove them to police stations across the capital . Tibetan exile groups said 900 protesters were detained Thursday . Authorities said the three arrested leaders -- two women and a man -- were responsible for the near-daily protests since March and will be held for 90 days under Nepal 's public security act . `` They have been arrested for damaging the diplomatic relations between Nepal and China , '' said civilian security officer Jaya Mukunda Khanal . The two women arrested and charged for organizing the protests were Ngwang Sangmo , president of Tibetan Women 's Association , and Tashi Dolma , vice president of the association . Also charged was Kelsang Chung , director of the Tibetan Reception Center , which helps Tibetan refugees in Nepal emigrate to India , where the Tibetan spiritual leader , the Dalai Lama , lives in exile . While they are the first Tibetan exiles formally arrested , protesters have previously been detained and released hours later . The crackdown comes days before the Olympic torch relay in Tibet . The torch relay wrapped up in China 's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Wednesday , and will continue in Tibet 's capital of Lhasa on Saturday , according to China 's Olympic Web site .
Nepalese authorities arrested at least 650 Tibetan ##s over China protest . Police forcefully dragged some of the protesters to awaiting trial . Protestors expressed opposition to China 's policies in Tibet .