Five youth attempted self-immolation near the gates of Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's office in Imphal on Saturday during curfew relaxation, to press for withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the state.

The police doused the flames but three of the youth received serious burn injuries, official sources said.
   
The three were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Science Hospital in a critical condition, the sources said. 

Tension gripped the area after the incident, which took place when the indefinite curfew, clamped on July 15 in view of widespread violence, protests and demonstrations following the killing of Th Manorama Devi, was relaxed for 12 hours for the day.

The Manipur Forward Youth Front had threatened to intensify its agitation to press its demand for withdrawal of the Act, the sources added.

The front had called a 48-hour Manipur bandh July 13 to protest against the killing of the 30-year-old woman, allegedly by the Assam Rifles and to press for the Act's withdrawal.

Immediately after the self-immolation attempt, some Manipur University students assembled in front of the Raj Bhavan, defying prohibitory orders, to demand the Act's withdrawal. Police cane-charged them, causing injuries to at least four, official sources said. The injured were taken to hospital.

Seventeen of the students were later arrested. The students wanted to submit a memorandum to Governor Arvind Dave.