Li Dandan, a farmer in Zhuanglang County, Pingliang of northwest China's Gansu Province, died after being tortured by two local policemen for suspicion of committing rape. Li's dependents took the local police station to court and applied for compensation of 500,000 yuan (US$64,641), the Legal Daily reported Thursday.

The investigation reveals Li was beaten up by the passers-by for three hours since he was found raping a girl on roadside at 1 PM Octobor 10, 2004. He was taken to the police station later for inquest, where he suffered outrageous torture from two policemen for several hours.

Li was taken away by his parents due to his bad injury at 9:00 PM, but died at home at 11 AM on October 11.

Two police officers Jia Manyun and Zhu Ziping were charged with torture, appealing to conduct the medicolegal autopsy on the decedent, but the result shows Li died of hemorrhagic shock led by striking force.

After hearing, the Intermediate People's Court of Pingliang put Jia and Zhu in jail for eight and ten years respectively with crime of intentionally injuring another which resulted in death. Li's family acquired 377,000 yuan (US$48,780) in compensation.

Jia and Zhu appealed against the decision to Gansu Provincial Supreme People's Court which however decided to uphold the original verdict.

(China Daily March 23, 2007)