BEIJING, Jun 5: Chinese police detained another three dissidents who were planning a private candlelight vigil to mourn those killed in the crackdown bn the Tiananmen Square protests 10 years ago, a human rights group reported Saturday, reports AP.

Police hauled Yang Hai, Than Zhipping and Zhang Jiankang away from Yang's home in the central city of Xi’an on Friday, the 10 th anniversary of the military assault, the Hong Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China said

Hundreds died when troops backed by tanks shot their way through Beijing on the night of June 3-4. 1989. to end seven weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations on Tiananmen Square.

As in previous years, the government stepped up security and arrests ahead of the sensitive anniversary of the assault to prevent public commemorations.

Police detained nearly 140 people in the past month and were still holding at least 48 of them, the Information Center said.

Police also detained two men Friday on Tiananmen Square, one middle-aged, the other a youth, who separately tried to mark the anniversary.

Beijing police on Friday also detained Liu Feng, a Protestant who was going to meet friends to pray for those killed in the assault, the Information Center said.