Seven staff detained after clash with tour bus driver at Xinjiang's Sayram Lake

(ECNS) -- Seven employees at Sayram Lake Scenic Area in Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, were placed in administrative detention for 10 to 15 days and fined 1,000 yuan ($148) each over a July 23 altercation with a tour bus driver, a joint working group said Monday.

The incident began with a dispute between one employee and the driver during a ticket check before escalating to involve seven scenic-area employees. A forensic examination found that the driver had suffered minor injuries, a statement released by the working group said. The scenic-area operator’s chairman was removed, while several managers and officials responsible for ticketing and site management were disciplined.

Authorities also announced an adjustment to the scenic area’s self-drive service fee. The current charge of 75 yuan ($11) per person will be temporarily reduced to 30 yuan ($4.40) from Tuesday until a vehicle-based pricing system takes effect on Thursday, Aug. 20.

(By Intern Yang Hongran, Zhang Dongfang)