Seven tried over fatal land dispute arson

Seven people went on trial in east China's Shandong province on Wednesday accused of setting a fatal fire in a dispute over land rights.

Du Qunshan, head of Dujiatuan vllage in Shandong's Pingdu county, and real estate developer Cui Lianguo face the charge of arson. Another five were charged with arson and creating disturbances.

The fire in Dujiatuan in March followed a group of villagers occupying a patch of farmland to prevent its seizure for a construction project. They were dissatisfied with the compensation they had received.

The Qingdao Intermediate People's Court heard that Cui arranged for five local residents to threaten the group. The five, allegedly headed by Wang Yuefu, bought knives and baseball bats for their task on March 17, but they did not carry out the plan that day.

Three days later, the occupiers had pitched a tent on the farmland. Du allegedly ordered Wang to set fire to the tent that evening so as to scare the villagers away.

The fire broke out at 1:50 am March 21, after Wang's fellows had allegedly ignited petrol they had poured outside the tent. A 62-year-old villager named Geng Fulin died in the blaze. Three others were injured.

The suspects were arrested on March 24 and 25.

The case gained wide attention in China and renewed concern over land disputes amid the country's urbanization drive.

The trial will continue on Thursday.