The detained students belonging to Arunachal Pradesh Students Union also tried to cause damage to vehicles as they were being taken into custody, the Press Trust of India reported, quoting police sources.

China claims large parts of India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh as a southern extension of Tibet. The two countries fought in area, much of which is covered by the Himalayas, during the Sino- Indian War of 1962.

Through a joint working group at the vice foreign ministerial level, the two sides have so far held over a dozen rounds of talks on demarcation of the eastern section of their mutual border, but have yet to reach agreement.

Tension over Arunachal Pradesh rose early last month after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid a visit there, prompting China to condemn the move and warn India to "not stir up trouble" in the disputed area.

India subsequently dismissed China's objections, saying Arunachal Pradesh, which lies between Bhutan and Myanmar, is an "integral and inalienable part of India" and that Indian leaders are free to travel to any part of the country.

More recently, China has objected to the plans of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, to visit Arunachal Pradesh next Sunday.

Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters Tuesday that the Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in the Indian hill resort of Dharamsala for the last five decades, can go anywhere in India provided he does not indulge in political activities.

Meanwhile, reports in the Indian media have recently accused China of constructing a dam across the Brahmaputra River that flows into Arunachal Pradesh from southern Tibet.

The Indian foreign office said Wednesday that Beijing has consistently denied construction of any dam on the river in Tibet.