Nine dies as car ploughs into crowded square in southern China

BEIJING, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Nine people died and 46 were injured after a car ploughed into a crowded square in southern China on Wednesday and police have detained the driver, the local government said.

The car drove onto the square in Mishui town, part of Hengyang city in Hunan province, shortly before 8 p.m. (1200GMT), the Hengyang government said in a statement, adding that the driver had a criminal record.

Video images carried on state media showed several bodies on the ground as bystanders tended to some of them.

The government originally said three people died, but raised the death toll to nine in a statement late on Wednesday.

There was no indication in the government statement or state media reports that the incident was terror-related.