A policeman was attacked and his pistol and five bullets were missing in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, a source from the provincial government said Wednesday.

The policeman, named Zhang Hui, was found unconscious beside a railway in the provincial capital of Harbin at 8 p.m. Tuesday by his colleagues. He had knife cuts on the head and his face was covered by blood. Zhang was taken to hospital.

Police said Zhang was attacked when he was patrolling the railway by unknown assailants.

(Xinhua News Agency May 7, 2009)