Students at Antananarivo University jointed the opposition protest against the government on Tuesday, urging the government to release one of their classmates within 24 hours.
The student threatened to kidnap every policeman they meet if the government refused to release their classmate, who was arrested last Monday by the police when he tried to stop the police from removing the roadblocks erected by anti-government demonstrators to prevent the arrest of two opposition leaders living in the university area.
One police official was taken as hostage by the students but released shortly after negotiation between the two sides, according local media reports.
With the opposition leader, Andry Rajoelina, failed to gather a mass gathering he expected, students spearheaded the anti- government rally of the day at the centre of anti-government protest, or May 13 Square, as it was called here.
Rajoelina called his supporters as well as government employees and workers last Saturday to continue their general strike from Monday until the resignation of President Marc Ravalomanana.