Ex-village chief shot dead at home

A former village committee director in Shanxi province was shot dead on Wednesday, local government officials said yesterday.

The Hong Kong-based Takungpao reported 40-year-old Liu Jianjun of Zhongyang county, was shot dead while asleep at home. The culprit is suspected to have gained entry to his home by breaking a window.

The head of the local police's criminal investigation team, surnamed Li, told China Daily yesterday: "We received an anonymous call that the murder had something to do with new village elections. We cannot confirm if that is true as investigations are still underway."