2010-04-08 17:13

HARBIN - A former police commissar in Tongjiang city, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, was detained for alleged involvement in the murder of his former colleague, a local public security bureau has announced.

The bureau in Jiamusi city, which has jurisdiction over Tongjiang, confirmed late Wednesday that Chen Jing, the former commissar, had been detained in relation to the death of Sun Wei, deputy director of Tongjiang's public security bureau, who was shot dead on March 28.

Chen's detention came after the police investigation of the suspected killer Liu Xiangjun, who was caught on Monday. Liu had a criminal history of theft, taking drugs and illegally hoarding explosives, and was sentenced to three years of rehabilitation for theft in 1986, according to the Jiamusi police.

Chen's former colleagues in the Tongjiang bureau said, on condition of anonymity, that Chen retired at the age of 53 earlier this year, after a discipline investigation found him involved in gambling.

Normal retirement age in China is at least 55.

According to Chen's colleagues, he was tipped off by Sun Wei, who had disputes with Chen over work.

The bureau declined to give further details, saying the case was still under investigation.