Police are hunting for three assailants who were allegedly involved in attacking a group of 21 unpaid migrant workers earlier this month, killing one.
Four suspects have already been detained for the assault and murder, which took place on March 6, with police confirming that all assailants were from No 15 Bureau of the China Railway Construction Corp, a contractor for the Guangzhou-Lechang Expressway Construction Project. The attack took place a 10 minute walk away from the office, when the group of migrant workers were chased down the street by three cars, and set upon by the assailant group wielding knives and iron bars.
Police revealed that the migrant group had not been paid since the February Spring holiday and were again refused payment earlier in the day on March 6.
The dead man has been named as Zhao Zhiming. Zhao's uncle said the contractor owed his nephew 8,000 yuan ($1,290) in salary, but the group had no personal issues with Li Yukun, alleged leader of the attack and material contractor for the construction project. ECNS reports that "the group of migrant workers together claimed 140,000 yuan in unpaid salary".
The deputy manager of the project, Zhao Ping, admitted company responsibility for "improper management" of the project, but denied that the office was responsible for inciting the attack upon the workers.
According to Xinhua a labor union official said although the company did not have "direct liability" for the beating, it is planning to provide 180,000 yuan as a "one-off compensation payment" to Zhao Zhiming's family.
[Image via Flickr]
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