?A north China court Monday upheld the death sentence of a forklift driver for killing a local resident in a dispute over pollution caused by a coal mine in which he was affiliated.

The Higher People's Court of the resource-rich Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region rejected the appeal of Sun Shuning who was sentenced to death on June 21 for murder by the Intermediate People's Court of the Xilingol League in the first-instance trial, the higher people's court said in a statement.

The verdict will be submitted to the Supreme People's Court for review and final approval, it said.

Sun Shuning was convicted of murdering Yan Wenlong, a resident living near a coal mine operated by Peaceful Mining Co., on May 15 in Abag Banner.

Local residents have often complained about the mine and clashed with the company's workers.

Sun knew the consequences of his actions when he intentionally hit Yan with his forklift, which resulted in Yan's immediate death, the higher people's court said.

This is the second case in which one of the region's miners has lashed out at a local resident.

On July 6, the same court upheld the death sentence of a coal truck driver who ran over and killed a Mongolian herder on May 10. The killing came as the local herder attempted to block coal trucks as a form of protest against the dust and noise created by a coal mine near his village in West Ujimqin Banner.