Five officials have been removed from their posts in Pingyu County of Henan Province, central China, for their negligence in a serial murder case, when the killing of 17 high-school students went unnoticed by local police and school authorities.

Those dismissed include the heads of the county's public security bureau, education and sport bureau, and culture bureau, and of the No. 1 and No. 2 high schools.

According to a decision made by the city government of Zhumadian, where Pingyu County is located, principal leading officials in Pingyu will be punished, as their negligence allowed the culprit to continue his killing spree.

According to previous reports, Huang Yong, a 29-year old martial arts film fan in Pingyu, started his killing spree in September 2001. During the following two years, he kidnapped and tortured to death 17 high-school students. Local police did not detect the murders, until early this month, when the 18th victim, also a high-school boy, reported to the police after escaping from Huang.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2003)