A man was arrested by police in southwestern China for inventing a bizarre viral story that claimed a young boy was buried on top of a residential building, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The case was reported in Chengdu, located in Sichuan province.
It came to light when a homeowner, known by her surname Li, went public after a neighbour told her that what looked like a grave had been discovered on the rooftop right above her seventh-floor apartment.
Chinese police confirmed there was no grave, but rather an ordinary flower bed containing animal remains.
However, investigators took a closer look at the site and quickly revealed the mystery. Authorities also checked official death records and spoke with local residents to get to the bottom of the panic. Police detained Liu for spreading the rumour, though his exact motives remain unclear.
On October 8, police confirmed there was no grave, but rather an ordinary flower bed containing animal remains. They traced the source of the fake story back to a 73-year-old neighbour named Liu.
