A local official and a driver have been detained over the death of a 13-month-old boy in east China's Zhejiang Province, authorities said Wednesday.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) chief surnamed Bai of a neighborhood community of the Mayu town and a driver surnamed Cheng were detained Tuesday night after the baby boy was fatally run over by a minibus in Mayu township in the county-level city of Rui'an, said a spokesman for Rui'an city committee of the CPC.

The tragedy happened around noon Monday following an argument between local officials and the child's parents concerning fines that were levied on the parents, as the child was the family's third, according to a statement from the city government.

In China, a family planning policy has been strictly implemented to rein in the nation's surging population by encouraging late marriages and pregnancies, as well as limiting most urban couples to one child and most rural couples to two children, if the first is a girl.

Eleven officials from Qingxiang Community of the Mayu town were attempting to persuade the baby's parents, Chen Liandi and Li Yuhong, to pay the fines for their third child at noon on Monday and were confronted by Chen, according a Rui'an city government official.

Chen said the baby boy dropped to the ground in the tussle with the officials. The minibus started suddenly and he was too late to pull his baby from its path, the father said.

Police are continuing to investigate the case. Endi

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