Police arrest Zhang Yongming, a 56-year-old farmer. They find human flesh and eyeballs in his house. He is accused of killing teenagers and then selling their flesh. Local Communist officials are suspended for ignoring residents' complaints.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - Police in Yunnan arrested Zhang Yongming, a 56-year-old farmer, for murder and cannibalism. He is accused of killing about 20 teenagers in Jinning County and then eating them. Residents blame Communist authorities for ignoring their complaints that young people were going missing.

Zhang Yongming was detained two weeks ago in Nanmen village in Yunnan province but police entered his home only today where they found human flesh, eyeballs and bottles with blood, Hong Kong's The Standard newspaper reported.

Zhang had previously served 18 years in jail for murder. The victims' bodies were usually dismembered, the Guangxi News website reported on Friday.

Media and residents are blaming Communist authorities for ignoring repeated complaints.

Two top county officials, Da Qiming and Zhao Huiyun, were suspended for failing to take action to solve the "vicious" crime, it was reported.

Kunming-based Chuncheng Evening News reported three weeks ago eight possible victims, males aged from 12 to 19. The Shanghai-based Dongfang Daily reported that the number of people missing had reached 17. Internet users have speculated that the final count could be at least 20.

However, none of these reports has been confirmed.

 

• china
• yunnan
• cannibalism
• murder