The villager surnamed Shao who reported the illegal sewage discharge. Photo: Screenshot of HNTV
Fugou county authorities in Central China's Henan Province have detained three people for beating a villager who anonymously reported illegal sewage discharge from a sausage casing producer, and the official who disclosed the villager's information is under investigation.
Local media reported on Sunday the assault case which was first revealed to public on Tuesday.
The villager surnamed Shao, made an anonymous complaint to the environmental protection organ on January 20, saying Fugou's Yuxiang casing processing factory was polluting the river. An environment official surnamed Li revealed Shao as the whistleblower, cnr.com reported.
On January 26, Shao received a phone call from a person claiming to be from the environmental authorities asking him for a meeting but was later canceled as it was "inappropriate." The same day, Shao received another call from the chief of the factory, asking him to "take a look" at site of the factory.
Shao went to the factory alone and was beaten by three people upon arrival.
The three were detained by local police and Li, who leaked Shao's information, is under investigation. The casing factory was closed for operating without installing pollution control facilities and the case has been transferred to local police, cnr.com cited Fugou governments as saying.
The case first came to public attention on Tuesday after local television reported Shao's experience and video clips of the program was posted on social media.
Global Times