Police in northeast China are investigating an alleged forced demolition in which nearly 100 men beat more than 20 villagers before robbing them and taking their houses down.

A group of people armed with sticks and hammers besieged the houses of a villager surnamed Zhang and forced his family and 20 tenants out by cracking windows with hammer at 3am yesterday in Youjia Village, Dalian City of Liaoning Province, reported China Radio Station.

They then pushed them onto vans and drove them away, beating tenants who resisted.

After five hours held hostage, the villagers were released and Zhang found his 11 houses torn down. Nothing except some pieces of pillows and quilts were left.

Zhang said his savings, home appliances and his wife's jewelry were missing.

Zhang said he had no idea where the demolition team came from and why his houses were torn down.