Warrants have been issued for the arrest of three people, including two policemen, allegedly involved in an incident last month in which a university graduate died, a senior police official in the capital of Heilongjiang province said yesterday.

The officers, who are in judicial custody, are identified as Liu Linan and Qi Xin. The third person, Yang Sen, was a classmate of the 22-year-old victim, Lu Hongxi, deputy director of the public security bureau, said.

Yang is alleged to have injured two policemen and escalated the confrontation. Liu and Qi are alleged to have intentionally hurt others.

The victim, Lin Songling, and some friends got into a dispute with six police officers in front of a nightclub in Harbin on Oct 11. Lin allegedly rebuked one of the police officers for speeding, according to earlier reports.

Lin was later found dead at the scene and an autopsy revealed that he had been beaten in the head with a blunt object.

The other four policemen remain free on bail.

(Xinhua News Agency November 19, 2008)