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Township government in NW China attacked

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-22 08:25

XINING - A township government in northwest China's Qinghai Province was attacked by about 20 people Saturday after a man suspected of illegal activities went missing, the local authorities said.

The crowd later dispersed after explanations from the police.

Police said the people were deceived by rumors about Zhaxi Sangwu, who had run away from a police station in Gyala Township of Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog on Saturday afternoon and went missing.

Zhaxi Sangwu was under investigation on Friday for being involved in advocating "Tibet independence", the police said. He managed to run away from the police station Saturday afternoon on the excuse of using the bathroom.

Police immediately launched a hunting for him.

"I saw a man swimming to get to the other side of the Yellow River," said witness Jamyang Zhoima, a Gyala resident who runs a restaurant.

Police rushed to the river side and only found Zhaxi Sangwu's clothes.

The man remains missing.