China's Inner Mongolia police chief held for murder

A retired police chief from China's Inner Mongolia region has been formally arrested on suspicion of murder, state media report.

Zhao Liping, a career policeman, headed the police service in the autonomous northern region between 2005 and 2010, said the Xinhua news agency.

The alleged victim was a woman with whom he had an intimate relationship, said Xinhua.

He was first detained earlier this month in Chifeng City.

Few details of the case have been released officially, but the alleged victim is widely reported to have been shot twice before calling the police.

Mr Zhao allegedly chased her down before killing her and driving her body into remote mountains where he burned her.

After his retirement, Mr Zhao had served as the elected regional deputy chairman of the advisory body to China's ruling party, the CPPCC.