A man who kidnapped a supermarket cashier in south China's Guangdong Province, was shot dead by police Tuesday morning after he refused to surrender, the police authority said.

The hostage was rescued and is safe.

The man kidnapped a female cashier with a kitchen knife in a supermarket in Bao'an District, Shenzhen City at about 9 a.m.. He forced her to walk out of the supermarket, and dragged her to a nearby residential area, punched her head with the knife and finally pushed her to a guard kiosk at a garage, a Bao'an district public security bureau official said.

The man also smashed several cars on his way to a nearby residential area, he said.

The police arrived at the scene and shot the man after he refused to release the cashier. The woman was out of danger after being rushed to hospital.

Before kidnapping the cashier, the man kidnapped two women who lived in the area's Shangtang community. They struggled with him and ran way, the official said.

Further details of the man are not yet available.

(Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2009)