Police put down riot by hired mob seeking payout

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-12-14  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

A RIOT was caused by a dispute over compensation for the death by heart attack at work of a Pingyao man in northern Shanxi Province, authorities said yesterday.

The riot occured on Friday morning in Wangjia village, when Duan Qijun, the foster son of Ren Shoufu, 61, the gate-keeper found dead last Saturday, led about 150 people wielding sticks to block the gate of Longhai Agriculture Company.

The crowd demanded more money for Ren's death although the company had spent more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,470) on the deceased's funeral.

The riot ended two hours later when police arrived and detained 77 people for disrupting social order.

Those detained turned out to be mostly from other provinces, each allegedly paid 100 to 200 yuan (US$14-29) by Duan. They were brought in on three buses and given wooden sticks as weapons, local police said.

Ren had two sons of his own and neither demanded money from the company, said Ren Zhifeng, a village official. Police are searching for Duan who fled the scene when they intervened and further investigation is under way.

Earlier reports by foreign media, citing the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, said the riot started because of alleged vote-buying in a village election. It was also reported that about 50 villagers were injured and around 200 detained.

Li Dingwu, Pingyao County's Party secretary, and Liu Zhihong, head of Jinzhong City's publicity department, denied the reports.