A GOVERNMENT STAFF IN FENGQIU, CENTRAL CHINA, ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO BURY A NEIGHBOUR ALIVE AFTER AN ARGUMENT OVER THE PAVING OF A COMMUNAL PATH.

 A GOVERNMENT STAFF IN FENGQIU, CENTRAL CHINA, ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO BURY A NEIGHBOUR ALIVE AFTER AN ARGUMENT OVER THE PAVING OF A COMMUNAL PATH.

 A government staff in Fengqiu, central China, allegedly attempted to bury a neighbour alive after an argument over the paving of a communal path.

The government staff, named as Zhao Xuejie, has now been suspended pending further investigation.

His victim, named as Sun Qiuying, was reportedly covered in soil for several minutes and fell unconscious, reported People's Daily Online. She was hospitalised and is said to be recovering.

According to reports, the incident took place on the afternoon of October 2.

Zhao Xuejie, a security guard at the local government office, allegedly drove a motorised tricycle filled with soil down a shared alleyway, which he intended to use for paving the walk path.

The vehicle was said to be requisitioned through his position at the local government

Zhao Xuejie's neighbour, Sun Qiuying, came to stop him and the two got into a heated argument.

Both are said to have land rights over the alley. 

Sun is thought to have decided to sit on the floor in protest.

In a fit of anger, Zhao Xuejie reportedly dumped all of the soil from his tricycle on top of Sun Qiuying, causing her to be buried.

The woman was buried under the soil for several minutes before her family were able to rescue her from underneath the mound.

During this time, Sun had passed out and was said to have fallen unconscious.

She was taken to hospital where doctors said she had swelling in her spine but was otherwise unharmed.

Sun's family alleged Zhao Xuejie was drunk when he was driving the vehicle. Police have taken a blood test to verify this but the results are not yet available.

However, they have charged Zhao Xuejie with driving without a license and he was fined 1,000 Yuan (£100).

Police have said the witnesses at the scene have been reluctant to come forward in fear of offending the parties involved.

According to People's Daily, a secretary of the village, named as Zhao Xuehai, has claimed that Sun was only partially buried. 

The two parties have reported tried to reach a settlement but Zhao Xuejie felt that a fee of 80,000 Yuan (£8,000) was too high since Sun was not actually injured.

Zhao Xuejie also allegedly tried to commit suicide on October 16, which Zhao Xuehai attributed to 'various pressures around the incident'.

He was saved in time has now left hospital. The case is still under investigation.