Police in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said rumors that hostages have been taken in exchange for arrested suspects of the July 5 riot that left 197 people dead were totally fabricated.

The Information Office of the regional government said on Sunday that local police did not detect any criminal cases that support the rumors.

Rumors spread in Urumqi over the past few days, saying some senior citizens, women and children were kidnapped in exchange for arrested riot suspects, a large number of bodies were found in some apartments and some Han women suffered sexual assaults.

Local police confirmed all the above were not true.

According to the police, only one rape case and two murders were reported in the regional capital between July 13 and 24.

The government information office said it hoped local citizens would not believe or help spread rumors.

(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2009)