In a fresh crackdown on ethnic Indians following their anti-government protests, Malaysian authorities on Tuesday charged 26 of them with attempted murder of a policeman during a massive rally staged by the community in Kuala Lumpur last month.

The 26 Indians were charged in a court for attempting to murder a policeman, who reportedly received stitches on his head after protesters threw iron pipes and bricks during the rally in Batu Caves temple outside Kuala Lumpur on November 25, lawyers said. They arrested accused have pleaded innocent to the charges.

The accused are likely to face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the lawyers said.

The rally, which brought together thousands of people, was the largest ever involving Indians who alleged that they were being marginalised in the multi-ethnic nation dominated by Muslims.

The 26 Indians, who were charged today, were earlier arrested during the rally and about half of them were charged for illegal assembly. They were released on bail later but police re-arrested them at their residences in a surprise pre-dawn raid.