Editor detained over false murder report

An editor was sentenced to three days detention on Friday for falsely writing that three people who died were murdered, Chengdu Business Daily reported.

The editor, surnamed Chen, worked for a news website in Yilong, Sichuan province.

He received a "tip-off" on Thursday that claimed three people were murdered in a village. Without any independent confirmation, Chen published the information on the website.

The deaths were in fact due carbon monoxide poisoning caused by faulty indoor heating.