Police in central China's Hubei Province have detained a welfare center keeper who allegedly hung a 68-year-old mentally-retarded man upside down for a whole chilly night, leading to his death because the man "didn't behave well."

The elderly living in the center.

Investigation showed Ding Congjian, 59, one of the only two workers at the government-funded center in Huanggang City, allegedly tied up the arms and legs of Chu Yunjian with a rope linking to high windows with Chu's face down to the ground for the whole night of November 25, The Beijing News reported yesterday.

A witness, Xiao Benqua, who was also living in the center, said Ding was outraged and wanted to punish Chu after the latter threw his potty out of the window, despite starving for a day. Xiao said they didn't dare to loosen the rope in fear of Ding, who frequently beat them up or upbraided them.

According to police, Ding claimed Chu died of coronary heart disease.

However, Chu's nephew didn't believe it and reported to police. An autopsy showed that Chu was actually killed by frost and starvation, leading to Ding's detention.

The elementary school-altered-center in a high-attitude region with year-long low temperatures is a shelter for 17 elderly people, including Chu, who suffered different levels of mental and physical disabilities and were left unattended by their families. The center doors were always closed to prevent inmates from getting out.

Due to a shortfall in government funds, the center could only afford to hire two workers with no professional qualifications - Ding and another who was on pregnant leave - to take turns to look after the needy.

Ding joined the center after an accident left him disabled in 1992 and was said to have frequently tortured the elderly, neighboring villagers said.