VietNamNet Bridge - The chairman and deputy chair of a commune in the central province of Ha Tinh were hospitalized on August 15 after being attacked by a group of local residents.

At 5.30am of August 15, the Ha Tinh General Hospital received two patients, Nguyen Huy Que, 53, and Duong Chi Thanh, 51, who are chairman and deputy chairman of Yen Loc Commune People's Committee. Que and Thanh came to the hospital with many wounds on their heads, backs, and limbs, caused by local people.

The chairman, Que, was injured more severely with a brain injury and his right eye was bleeding, needing special monitoring.

At the hospital, Que told correspondents that on the afternoon of August 14, he and his deputy were working when suddenly hundreds of people appeared and surrounded the headquarters of the Yen Loc Commune People's Committee.

They started to flock to his office and asked the local government release Dang Van Cong, 27, a resident of Trang Son Village who was arrested for acting against officials on duty on August 13.

Que had to phone Can Loc District leaders who arrived at the office to explain the cause of Cong’s arrest to local people who then left.

At 7:00 pm, some young people went to extremes and cut the power supply of the headquarters of the Yen Loc Commune People’s Committee. They called for more people to attack the office by throwing stones and bricks into some rooms.

"They confined my deputy and I in the office and demanded us to call the chief police officer of Can Loc district to release Dang Van Cong. At 3:00 am of August 15, about 20 young men carrying sticks rushed into our rooms and attacked us,” Que said.

The attackers demolished the office and many furniture and equipment inside. They only withdrew when the two officials fainted.

Mr. Duong Tri Loc, Party Secretary of Yen Loc commune, said that earlier, Dang Van Cong bulldozed land of the Yen Loc commune People’s Committee. Being asked to stop by local officials, Cong attacked them.

Can Loc district’s police arrested Cong for the act on August 13.

At 3pm of August 14, Cong’s family mobilized hundreds of people to flock to the commune office to attack local officials.

The provincial police have launched a thorough investigation into the case to find out the mob that launched the attack, said Bui Huy Tam, chairman of Can Loc District.

The Yen Loc People's Committee office after the attack.

Mr. Nguyen Hung Que at hospital.

Compiled by Nam Nguyen