Archaeological team assaulted in Ningxia, assailant detained

Photo: Courtesy of Bjnews

A member of an archaeological team was assaulted recently by a local villager in Guyuan City, Ningxia, northwest China. The team was conducting archaeological research, but the members were obstructed and verbally abused by villagers, followed by physical assault by a man surnamed Ma. Following police intervention, both parties reached a settlement, and the assailant has been administratively detained for five days.

A staff member surnamed Yang with the Autonomous Region Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology reported to the police that the team encountered obstruction from villagers while conducting archaeological research in a village in the afternoon of May 24. An investigation revealed that while the staff members of the Autonomous Region Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology were conducting research on land north of Caomiaoyuan in Pingle Village, they were obstructed by Ma. Ma engaged in a dispute with them, during which he struck Yang with a water bottle.

Ma was administratively detained for five days by the Guyuan Public Security Bureau. Following the incident, any misunderstandings between the archaeological team and the villagers have been resolved, and both parties have reached a settlement.

The incident took place in an abandoned area with overgrown weeds and numerous looted tombs. Surrounding residents had relocated over a decade ago, and the land showed no signs of cultivation or construction. The archaeological team conducted salvage excavation of the looted tombs without causing substantial damage to the abandoned land. 

Following the incident, police officers and local village cadres promptly arrived at the scene to handle the situation. Police patrols have been intensified to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

 Global Times