Hostage taker shot dead in east China

A man who took a 83-year-old woman as hostage was shot dead Friday in east China's Jiangsu Province, local police said.

Sporting a wig, a face mask and sunglasses and disguising himself as a plumber, the man, who was identified only by his surname as Song, entered the old woman's house located in Gulou District in Nanjing, the provincial capital, at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Song allegedly tied the old woman up and held a knife at the neck of the woman, demanding a ransom of one million yuan (146,490 U.S. dollars).

The hostage taking was found out by the woman's daughter and son-in-law when they returned home at about 5:50 p.m.. The couple immediately reported the case to the police.

Police seized the chance when food was passed into the old woman's house and shot dead the hostage taker at 7:40 p.m..

The case was under further investigation.

Source:Xinhua