A LONG-RUNNING feud between villages on the southern Chinese island of Hainan has erupted into a sustained bout of violence that has left one man dead and nine injured.
Police dispatched more than 300 officers to try and restore order and hunt for the suspects that started the brawl between the villages of Baoshang and Gancheng, the Xinhua news agency reported.
There are tens of thousands of violent protests or demonstrations in China every year. Often they relate to land disputes, or anger at corruption.
For nearly 80 years, the neighbouring villages of Baoshang and Gancheng have had a tiff over disputed land. Each village has a population of about 10,000 and there have been sporadic fights over the years.
The latest bout of violence started with a brawl between two secondary school students from the respective villages. It quickly escalated, with villagers destroying cars and setting fire to the local government building on Monday.
On Tuesday night, villagers from Gancheng went to Baoshang, setting fire to a hotel and residences, Xinhua said, and Baoshang residents cut off power to Gancheng. Roadblocks were set up using farm vehicles.
Tensions had been running high after villagers from Gancheng village protested about a series of attacks on four children from the village. They blamed Baoshang villagers for the attacks, but police had not found any evidence during their investigations.
On Wednesday, Baoshang villager Zhang Ji (32) died after being stabbed in the head and arms, and six others were wounded, Xinhua said.
Three others had been hurt during the previous days’ fighting, according to local officials.
More than 100 local government officials were also sent to calm residents, and dozens of the officers were patrolling a bridge that connects the two villages, in an effort to separate the two groups.