Bengaluru, Apr 4 (PTI): A Karnataka minister's Personal Assistant and two others were arrested today in connection with Class 12 Chemistry exam question paper leak last week.

The first arrest comes four days after the leak of Pre-University Course Chemistry paper for the second time within 10 days that had affected over 1.74 lakh candidates and triggered strong protests from parents and students.

"Three persons including PA to Medical Education Minister (Sharan Prakash R Patil) have been arrested in the leak of Chemistry question paper of Class XII," Sonia Narang, DIG of CID which is probing the case, told PTI here.

The accused have been identified as Oblaraju, Manjunath and Rudrappa, and were arrested today, she said.

"Oblaraju is a government employee and PA to the minister, and Rudrappa is employed as office manager at PWD. Manjunath is a PT teacher, working at Cambridge College. He is also an LIC agent," Narang said.

Protests over cancellation of exams had turned violent as a section of agitated students pelted stones which damaged glass windows of the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) building. The paper leak had taken place in two different locations in Karnataka.

Earlier, the March 21 Chemistry exam was cancelled and rescheduled for March 31 after a II (second) PU science student alerted the authorities about the paper leak.

After the student blew the lid off the paper leak, the state government had handed over the investigation to CID.

The issue also had rocked the Assembly, where Opposition BJP members staged a dharna, demanding Primary and Secondary Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar's resignation.

Under fire from all quarters, Ratnakar had said earlier that if there are any more lapses, he would resign.