Yang Yi?is on trial for allegedly killing Wang Guangliang, former director of the construction bureau in Fushun.

A man is on trial for allegedly killing a senior government official who was leading a -demolition team to his brother's factory in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The suspect Yang Yi said he didn't mean to kill Wang Guangliang, former director of the construction bureau in Fushun, who had led more than 50 workers to Yang's brother's steel plant in April.

Yang said he received a call from his sister-in-law, saying the crew members had attacked his brother while carrying out the demolition. Yang immediately rushed to the site and ordered them to leave the factory.

After being ignored, he stabbed Wang in the chest with a knife, and injured another worker, Zhu Yubin, who tried to stop him, prosecutors claimed on Wednesday. Wang later died in hospital.

Yang's lawyer said he should be charged with manslaughter instead of intentional murder, which the prosecutors claim.

The lawyer said Yang had acted in self-defense.

A crowd of locals were in front of the court, calling for a lenient sentence. They had a petition with their signatures and telephone numbers, the Nanfang Daily reported.