Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Four people were injured and six others detained for questioning after hundreds of university students staged a rally in South Sulawesi to protest the government's planned hike in fuel prices.

The rally turned violent when students of Alaudin State Islamic University hijacked an oil tank truck and later pelted stones at police.

Several vehicles passing the site were also damaged from rocks thrown by students. The traffic from the city to Gowa regency was diverted to another road to prevent the scuffle from spreading.

The injured victims, including two police, were taken to a nearby hospital while six protesters were arrested for questioning at the police office.

The scuffle ended when some 120 riot police were deployed to disperse the protesters while several lecturers from the university tried to calm down the situation.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has hinted a fuel price hike of up to 30 percent in line with the soaring world crude oil price.

Makassar Police chief Sr. Comr. Genot Haryanto said the police would handle the incident according the law. "Whoever violates the law will be punished according to the law." He denied police were involved in the stone throwing.

During the rally, students decried the planned fuel price hikes which they said would overburden the people, especially the majority low-income earners, because it would trigger price hikes of basic commodities.

The students also held a free speech forum where they criticized the government for having no sense of crisis and no political courage to fight corruption.