Hyderabad, May 13 (IANS): A home guard allegedly raped and murdered an MBA student in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district, triggering public protests.

The girl died under suspicious circumstances while being shifted to a government-run hospital in Madanpalle town Sunday night.

Police said Monday they have arrested Shiva Kumar, a home guard with a police station in Madanapalle, and two others on a complaint from the victim's relatives. A police officer said they were investigating the cause of the death, and also if the girl was raped.

Tension prevailed in the town as the dead student's relatives, women and residents of the town continued their protest, demanding that the guilty be handed over to them for instant justice.

"Police are shielding the culprits. They should be hanged immediately to prevent such incidents," a woman protestor said.

There was high tension well past midnight as the relatives of the girl staged a protest with the body and clashed with police at the hospital.

Five policemen, including two officers, were injured in stone pelting by the protestors, who demanded that the guilty be hanged publicly. Police also used batons to disperse the mob.

Local legislator Shajahan Basha of the ruling Congress party also joined the protestors and demanded stringent punishment to the guilty.

Senior officials, who rushed to hospital, tried to pacify the crowd with the assurance that strong action would be taken against the guilty and compensation would be paid to the victim's family.

The girl, a first year student of MBA, had gone to meet relatives in a nearby village three days ago. She was reportedly known to Shiva Kumar, who allegedly picked her up on his motorbike Sunday. He allegedly took her to an isolated place, where he, along with two others, gang-raped her.

The girl was brought to a private hospital in a critical condition and later shifted to a government-run hospital, where she was declared brought dead.