Ex-village boss held over fatal attack

XI'AN: A former village head from Shaanxi province has been arrested for his role in the beating to death of a farmer, police said yesterday.

Zhao Jisheng, former director of the Xishaoliang villagers' committee in Hancheng, Shaanxi, and ex-deputy of the Hancheng People's Congress, is accused of selling land owned by the local community, Zhang Jianguo, head of the Zhichuan township police, told China Daily.

When villagers tried to stop him, Zhao ordered a band of hired thugs to beat them, he said.