A 21-year-old truck driver from Chongqing was yesterday arrested in connection with the murder of an injured female beggar, China News Service reported yesterday.

It is alleged that Tian Houbo was involved in an accident in which the woman was injured, then drove later to run her over, killing her.

On April 11, a woman's body was found in a ditch near the highway at Maguan Town in Chongqing.

Police established that the woman had been dead for more than two months. Her face was damaged and her left thighbone crushed.

During investigation, police found three drivers who were traveling in the truck at the time of the accident, Tian and two other men, surnamed Wang and Xiao. Police summoned Wang, who said they hit a woman on the night of December 23.

The woman was not badly hurt as they could hear her moaning, said Wang.

Local residents also said they heard a woman crying and moaning and men talking on that night.

The accident spot was about 20 meters away from the ditch where the body was found.

Wang also said the woman's face wasn't injured in the accident. Police said these injuries - which proved fatal - must have been caused after the men left initially.

On April 12, Tian was detained.

Police said he confessed that he was afraid that the accident would lead to trouble, so, after an hour, he drove the truck back to the scene and ran over the woman, who was unconscious. He then threw the body into a ditch.