Seven arrested in reporter's killing

Police have arrested seven people suspected of involvement in the killing of a reporter investigating an illegal mine in northern China and are seeking three others, state media said yesterday.

Thugs

Those arrested include illegal mine operator Hou Zhenrun (侯振潤), who is suspected of getting eight thugs to beat up two reporters from the Beijing-based China Trade News on Jan. 10 in Shanxi Province, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a police spokesman from Shanxi's Datong City.

One of the reporters, Lan Chengzhang (蘭成長), died a day later because of head injuries from the beating, the report said.

Lan's colleague Chang Hanwen (常漢文) also was severely beaten, suffering a broken arm and other injuries, it said.

Surrender

Hou gave himself up on Friday, it reported.

Xinhua has said the two men were not authorized by their newspaper to investigate the mine, and that police alleged they may have been trying to collect bribes to keep quiet about the illegal operation.

Beijing has acknowledged that the nation's coal mining industry is wracked by corruption, with local officials often colluding with mine owners so that safety standards are ignored to maximize profits.

A total of 4,746 workers died in mining accidents last year, official statistics show.