Policeman killed amid Tibet unrest

Beijing: A mob wielding stones and knives killed a police officer in a Tibetan part of Western China, state media said yesterday, a sign of ongoing unrest despite a massive influx of police and troops.

The latest news of unrest comes after protesters seeking to put pressure on China tried to disrupt the Beijing Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Greece.

Wang Guochuan died in an attack yesterday on a group of police in the Ganzi (Garze) Tibetan Prefecture in Sichuan province, Xinhua news agency said.

Several other officers were wounded in the clash that ended when police opened fire.

"The police were forced to fire warning shots, and dispersed the lawless mobsters," the brief English report said. It did not say if the attackers were Tibetan or whether any protesters were hurt or killed.