Police in India's restive state of Manipur Saturday arrested twelve leaders of an influential students' group for their alleged involvement in violent anti-government protests, authorities said.
Manipur's inspector general of police, R. Baran, said those arrested were from the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and were charged with various offences in connection with the violence that erupted in the state's capital, Imphal, on Monday.
The mass protests were triggered by the federal government's decision to extend a ceasefire with a faction of a powerful armed separatist group in the region -- the National Socialist Council of Nagaland.
The Indian government said Saturday it would review the extension of the ceasefire, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
An indefinite shoot-on-sight curfew was imposed following the riots in which 13 people were shot dead by police.
Most of the leaders of the students' group had gone into hiding because of a police crackdown, residents said.
The curfew was relaxed in Imphal on Saturday for six hours from 5.00am (23.30 GMT Friday) to enable people to buy essential commodities, police officials said.
It was also relaxed for four hours from midday in certain parts of the capital to allow devotees to take part in a Hindu festival.
"We cannot relax the curfew all over Imphal as there are still many mischief makers trying to create violence," Manipur police chief A. Siddiqui told AFP earlier in the day.
On Friday night, a group tried to set fire to the festival chariot that was to carry the image of Lord Jaggannath, a Hindu God, through the streets.
Hundreds of army, police, and paramilitary troops were patrolling the streets to prevent any fresh flare-up of violence.
"The situation is by-and-large quiet although tension is there," Siddiqui said.
The extension of the ceasefire fuelled concerns among the people that the government might be considering carving slices off the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur -- all of which have sizeable Naga populations -- to create an autonomous homeland for the Naga tribespeople.
All 59 state legislators in Manipur have threatened to resign from the assembly if the central government does not revoke the ceasefire extension.
Home Minister L K Advani spoke with Manipur political leaders, at a three-hour meeting convened by him at their request.
"The joint representation given by the political leaders from Manipur will be considered by the central government and the various issues arising out of the ceasefire will be reviewed," he said -- GUWAHATI, India (AFP)
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