Officer 'justified' in shooting farmers

Local authorities in Panjin, Northeast China's Liaoning Province insist a police officer was justified in shooting to death a local farmer during a violent conflict over the expropriation of his land in the city's Xinglongtai district on Friday last week.

An official with the publicity department of the Panjin City Committee of the CPC told the Global Times on condition of anonymity Wednesday that the man's family had signed a compensation agreement before police officer, Zhang Yan, shot and killed Wang Shujie, the 36-year-old villager.

"The police officer was following procedures for handling the conflict between the demolition team and Wang's family, whose members had taken a worker hostage and attacked the police," said the official, adding that the demolition has been suspended since the deadly confrontation.

The results of the ongoing investigation have not yet been released.

Wang Zaiyuan, father of the dead man who was shot in the leg by Zhang, remains in the First People's Hospital of Panjin and is under guard of four to five plainclothes police officers who are  forbidding anyone other than his direct relatives from visiting.

"He is in police custody and visitors, other than family members, are not allowed," a police officer outside the ward told the Global Times Wednesday, adding that they were questioning him.

Wang Xiangyuan, the 63-year-old younger brother of Wang Zaiyuan, travelled from Jinan, Shandong Province to visit his brother Wednesday.

"My brother came to Panjin after he was discharged from army in 1979. Why did they shoot my nephew?" Wang asked reporters prior to seeing his brother.

Local authorities also denied that they had taken Wang's body without his family's consent and said his wife, Jiang Yang, was staying at home accompanied by family members and officials of her community.

Jiang could not be reached on Wednesday and officials said she was unwilling to talk to the press.

The deadly conflict has become a hot topic on Sina Weibo, with more than 2.5 million postings by 8 pm Wednesday. Many were critical of the police for devastating the family that was exercising its right to a fair settlement for their land.

Han Tong, vice chief of the district, told the Beijing News that the family signed a deal that would pay them 270,000 yuan ($42,844) for their land. Two relatives, however, said the family will receive a 4-million-yuan payment, which some believe will also buy their silence.

Wang Cailiang, a lawyer from the All China Lawyers Association specializing in demolition regulations, told the Global Times that the statements by local authorities and Wang's family make the case suspicious and shake the credibility of the local government.

"Higher-level departments should investigate the case and provide a more convincing report since the confrontation ended so badly," Wang said.