78 detained for instigating riot in Myanmar's western state

Nearly 78 people have been detained and interrogated by the police on suspicion of manipulating, committing and abetting riot in Thandwe in western Myanmar's Rakhine state late September.

"Although it was a normal incident that can be handled in accordance with law, the situation turned into violence due to the instigation of some organizations with the aim of disturbing peace and stability and causing unrest," the Home Ministry said.

The communal violence sparked by an argument over the parking of a three-wheeled motorbike in front of a shop in Thandwe on Sept. 28 left seven people dead ad five others injured, Xinhua reported.

A total of 112 houses, three religious buildings and one petrol station were burned to the ground, leaving 487 people homeless.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed on Thandwe on Oct. 1 as the violence escalated.

However, the curfew on the most popular beach resort of Ngapali, which is part of Thandwe, was lifted on October 8 to facilitate traveling by tourists to the site due to improved situation in the area.

Despite calm in part of the area, the curfew on Thandwe as a whole has not been lifted yet for security reason, local authorities said.