Suspect held over mass poisoning in China

Police have arrested a man suspected of putting rat poison in food that may have killed dozens of people in eastern China.

Police have arrested a man suspected of putting rat poison in food that may have killed dozens of people in eastern China.

The man was caught early on Sunday aboard a train in the city of Shangqiu. He was found after police put out an alert that he was wanted on murder charges and was fleeing aboard a train.

The poisonings occurred around 250 miles away in Nanjing, effecting over 200 people, according to state media. Police have given no information about a possible motive.

Authorities have refused to release a death toll, but news reports suggest dozens might be dead, including students at a nearby school.

A Hong Kong newspaper claims the suspect is a cousin of the snack shop owner thought to be at the centre of the incident and that he put poison in its food out of jealousy at his relative's success.

PA

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