The government of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has ordered an inquiry into the violence and killings which followed the jailing of a prominent political leader for corruption earlier this week.

Three thousand people were arrested and in one incident three girls died when a bus was set on fire.

The state government believes supporters of the opposition AIADMK party, whose leader Jayalalitha, was jailed for a year this week, were responsible for the killings.

Jayalalitha claims the government organised the violence to discredit her party.

Schools and colleges were closed for the day on Friday as a mark of respect for the girls who died.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service