A women injured in a fight with a robber will be the first person to benefit from free cosmetic surgery courtesy of public security officials.

 

Qian Ying, 24, was left scarred after she resisted a robber who tried to steal her mobile phone last October.

 

The robber, who was later arrested, stabbed Qian in the face and chest.

 

Officials from the Shanghai Public Security Comprehensive Administrative Office, a department in charge of keeping social order and preventing crime, is funding a beauty aid station in Tianda Plastic Hospital, a joint-venture hospital specializing in cosmetic surgery.

 

The station is specially for people left disfigured by criminals.

 

Medical experts from Tianda have examined Qian's scars and have designed a surgery plan.

 

"Some brave citizens have been disfigured when they fought against criminals," said Yang Changchun, director of the public security office.

 

"The scars have caused much inconvenience to their life. In the past, they looked for plastic hospitals themselves with some financial aid from the government but the surgery quality could not be guaranteed because the level varied in different hospitals."

 

Yang said his office could make the project official in six months, and he hoped more hospitals could join in.

 

According to statistics from local police, 943 local citizens have been honored for bravery since 1999 and about 10 citizens were disfigured.

 

(Shanghai Daily January 11, 2007)