Swatting flies that plague rural areas

The downfall of a village head in North China's Hebei province has shed light on the dark side of grassroots officials in the country's vast rural areas.

Meng Lingfen, former chief of Quanqiuer village in suburban Dingzhou, Hebei province, was recently sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for embezzlement, causing disturbance and intentional damage of property.

Meng was dubbed the "most fierce village head" by netizens after she summoned some thugs to beat a reporter who was trying to find out the happenings after receiving a tipoff from a villager in August last year.