SHANGHAI - A CHINESE court sentenced a man to death on Monday for stabbing to death six police officers in a case that spurred controversy over police treatment of suspects.

On July 1, Yang Jia stabbed a security guard at a Shanghai police station, started a fire at its gate and then burst inside and slashed several police officers with a knife, six of whom died.

The Shanghai Second Intermediate People's Court found Yang guilty of 'premeditated murder' and sentenced him to death, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The brief report did not say whether Yang would appeal against the sentence.

Yang's case drew rare public criticism of police conduct in this country where thousands are executed every year and support for capital punishment is strong.

Local media have said Yang, 28 and from Beijing, had nursed bitterness over maltreatment at the same police station last year, when he was an interrogated on suspicion of stealing a bicycle.

Guangdong-based Southern Weekend newspaper reported Yang claimed he was beaten during the interrogation. The Shanghai police denied the allegation, the newspaper said. -- REUTERS