Battles as Bandit Queen's body is taken home

Supporters of assassinated Bandit Queen turned politician Phoolan Devi battled with police, threw crude bombs and burned buses as her body arrived for cremation in an Indian town.

At least one worker of Devi's Socialist Party was killed by police fire and two policemen suffered gunshot wounds in Varanasi, 420 miles south-east of New Delhi.

Three more policemen were injured in clashes with the protesters.

The supporters stopped trains and intercity buses as they called a day-long strike protesting the Government's failure to protect Ms Devi.

She was killed outside her New Delhi home by masked gunmen on Wednesday as she arrived for lunch from Parliament.

Her armed security guard, who returned fire, was wounded in the attack.

Shops and businesses remained shut at most places across Uttar Pradesh state.

Police remained clueless about the 38-year-old Ms Devi's killers, although they questioned several people, including a couple who were at her New Delhi residence at the time of the attack.

Ms Devi, who was born into a low-caste family and sold into marriage at age 11, fled her brutal husband to become one of India's most dreaded bandit.

She was idolised by India's poor as a horseback-riding heroine who roamed the countryside, her hallmark red bandanna tied around her head, a rifle slung across her back, exacting retribution from wealthy upper-caste landowners.

She was jailed in 1983, but the Supreme Court freed her 11 years later. At least 70 cases of murder, kidnapping and extortion were still pending against her.

After her release, Ms Devi entered politics and became an MP in 1996.