Two reporters were attacked and beaten yesterday as they conducted an interview into the high-profile case of a woman charged with stabbing and killing an official.

"Four guys rushed into the house and started throwing our belongings out," Beijing News reporter Kong Pu told China Daily.

She had been interviewing the grandmother of Deng Yujiao, who is alleged to have killed an official while defending herself against sexual assault.

"They beat me and wrestled me to the ground," said Southern People Weekly reporter Wei Yi, who was with Kong in Yesanguan, Hubei province.

After the beating, three men escorted the reporters away, Kong said.

But when Kong went back to collect their umbrellas, she met another mob.

One of them shouted at her "How dare you come back," Kong told China Daily.

"Then they grabbed my mobile phone before pulling my ear and hair, slapping my arms," Kong said.

She called police after the second attack at 2:30 pm yesterday.

The reporters were escorted to the police station where they made statements about the incident.

The attack came two days after the government announced that Deng, 21, had been released on bail.

In a case that has sparked widespread debate and media attention, police say karaoke employee Deng Yujiao stabbed government official Deng Guida to death May 10 after he allegedly demanded sex and hit her with money.

Wei is asking police to investigate and punish the mob.

"We have arranged a task force to probe this case," Wang Haibo, deputy director of Badong government information office told China Daily.

"Yesanguan officials told me some scuffle took place when local villagers were trying to dissuade the two reporters from interviews," he said.

"If some people really did beat up the reporters, they will be dealt with according to law," he added.

(China Daily May 29, 2009)