Death toll rises to 26 in protests in Indonesia's Papua

Jakarta: The death toll from violent protests in Indonesia's restive Papua province has risen to 26 after several bodies were found under burned buildings.

An angry mob torched local government buildings, shops and homes and set fire to cars and motorbikes in Papua province's Wamena city on Monday in a protest by hundreds of people sparked by rumors that a teacher insulted an indigenous student.

Papua police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said Tuesday that six more bodies were found in and around the burned-out wreckage of buildings engulfed in the fires set by rioters. Another 70 people were injured.

National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo said police were questioning 733 university students involved in another protest in Jayapura that left one soldier and three civilians dead.