Around 800 people, some of them armed with knives, took to the streets after word spread that suspected thieves had died in police custody.

The police acknowledge that one suspect died, but say he was in a critical condition when he was brought in and deny that he was tortured.

Disputed land

At least 75 people were arrested according to police during Sunday's unrest.

Workers clear up after Saturday's bomb attack in Jakarta

There has been a long-running dispute in the city's Citra Raya residential complex between residents and the original inhabitants, who complain they did not get enough compensation when the property developers began work on the site 20 years ago.

Indonesia has been rocked by a series of violent protests as Asia's economic crisis has exacerbated social and ethnic tensions. As many as one third of the country's 200 million people have now fallen below the poverty line.

Popular suspicions

Correspondents say many Indonesians have become suspicious of the authorities - particularly the military, which includes the police force - because of its former role as backbone of former President Suharto's regime.

Mr Suharto's successor and former protege, BJ Habibie, has promised national elections in June but the protests have continued with many people complaining he is not moving fast enough on political reforms and weeding out official corruption.

The unrest in Surabaya comes a day after a bomb exploded at an empty department store in Jakarta. There were no injuries and police are investigating who might have been behind that attack.