Mar 11, 2009 (DVB), Three pupils of Rangoon's Mayanggone township State High School (1) have been beaten after being detained on suspicion of arson, a local resident said.

They were arrested on 28 February after allegedly entering the school and trying to burn exam papers because they could not answer the questions.

A local Rangoon resident however said that the police have been beating the pupils during interrogation.

"A friend of mine was at Bayintnaung police station and saw the three children," he said.

"Their eyes could not be seen and their faces were swollen."

A police officer on duty at Bayintnaung said that the three pupils are being detained at Kabaraye youth training school.

He said that they are yet to charged, and are still being interrogated under Act 380-54, which would accuse them of theft.

"The children must have thought that they would pass their exams by burning papers out of desperation, but I heard that their crime is big," the resident said.

There were no comments available from the school.

Reporting by Naw Say Phaw