Chinese farmer kills official for forcing wife’s abortion

BEIJING - A farmer allegedly killed a family planning official in China’s Jilin province and injured her two minor children, after she forced his wife to undergo an abortion.

The farmer, identified as Zhang Xuezhong, killed Jiang Xiaoling May 1 because he was angry she forced his wife to abort their baby, officials said Monday.

Jiang’s husband, Zhao Guogui, also a farmer in Xinhua village, said Monday the alleged killer rushed to his home with a stick and beat his wife to death. He also beat his son, 15, and daughter, 11, both of whom are now in hospital. The girl is in a comatose state in the intensive care unit, hospital officials said.

Zhang has been arrested.

Zhang was angry as Jiang had reported his wife’s pregnancy was in violation of the country’s family planning rules, Zhao said.

“He is so ruthless. My wife reported to the superiors that his wife was unlawfully pregnant again,” Zhao was quoted as saying by Global Times.

Jiang discovered in February 2010 that Zhang’s wife was pregnant and tried to make her undergo an abortion. The couple refused and Jiang reported them to higher officials.

After officials convinced her, Zhang’s wife underwent the operation, Zhao said.

Farmers in the countryside are allowed to have a second child if the first one is a girl or has a disability, according to the family planning policy.

Zhang had earlier served 13 years in prison for attempting to kill his father-in-law.