Police have detained a woman who allegedly poisoned 84 people, two of whom have died, over a real estate feud and in east China's Shandong Province, the local public security authority said Tuesday.
Wu Fang, 28, allegedly added a highly toxic chemical to her neighbor's table salt on April 24. She had had a long-time dispute with her neighbor, Wu Xicheng, over real estate rights, the Public Security Bureau of Laiwu City said.
Wu Xicheng's wife Wang Shun'ai, 58, died on May 7 and Wu, 55, died a few days later.
About 90 people who were attending Wang's funeral ceremony had lunch at the victim's house and 82 felt sick. Twenty-two were hospitalized.
Police detained Wu Fang on May 14 and the illegal seller of the chemical -- thallous sulfate.
Wu Fang bought two bottles of the chemical from the seller in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province in September last year.
Wu Fang used to work in a hair salon.
(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2009)