An official investigation has been launched into Vietnam’s Dong Tam land dispute, which resulted in villagers holding 38 officials hostage back in April.

Police in Hanoi will focus on the seizing of officials and police officers during the standoff, as well as deliberate vandalism by villagers.

During hostage negotiations, the mayor of Hanoi, Nguyen Duc Chung told villagers that none would be prosecuted following the release of hostages.

It’s not yet clear whether the latest investigation will seek to charge villagers involved in the incident.

Under Vietnamese law, anyone found guilty of illegal detention can face up to five years in prison.

The hostage situation arose in Dong Tam Village after police detained four locals for using disputed land.

Angry villagers responded by detaining 38 police officers and government officials in a communal house in a standoff that lasted a week.

Locals lay claim over what they say is agricultural land, but officials say the land belongs to the military.

Earlier this year, the military-owned telecoms company Viettel sparked tensions when it began working to build an airport in the disputed land without compensating villagers.

Disgruntled locals said they hadn’t been informed of the land transfer to the military, but say they would have complied with the law if they had known.

The state technically owns all land in Vietnam, but grants land-use rights for private use.