Thirteen people have been arrested due to spreading rumors online and disturbing public orders in front of a shopping market in Fengtai district, Beijing, according to a Tuesday statement from the district police.

On May 8, hundreds of people gathered outside the Jingwen Market in Fengtai district to demand an open investigation into the death of a 22-year-old migrant worker surnamed Yuan who plummeted from the building on May 3.

Beijing police had to send squads of police officers to deal with the gathering. But the police later released details of the young woman's death to prove there was no evidence of foul play and dispel any pernicious rumors surrounding it.

Among the 13 people arrested, mostly from Anhui Province, including the dead's boyfriend surnamed Peng.

The statement said that Peng was dissatisfied with the treatment he received from the Jingwen Market after Yuan's death, and decided to fabricate rumors, such as bizarre circumstances surrounding Yuan's death or that she was gang-raped by security guards.

This stirred up the public and caused them to gather at the market to demand further investigation.

The family and the market reached agreement on the compensation of 400,000 yuan ($65,130) on May 10, two days after the woman's death caused a mass protest in front of the Jingwen Market, according to the People's Daily.

Global Times