Beijing police detain writer Huang Zerong, or Tieliu, 81

A well-known 81-year-old writer was taken from his Beijing home and detained by police, his wife said yesterday, adding that he had written several articles critical of a senior politician recently.

Police took away Huang Zerong, better known as Tieliu, on Sunday and issued a notice later that he had been detained on the vague charge of causing trouble, his wife, Ren Hengfang, said.

She said the police also detained Huang's medical caregiver on the same charge on the same day. There was no explanation of why the caregiver was detained.

Police also took books, journals and a computer, Ren said.

Beijing police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Huang's wife said he recently wrote several articles criticising Liu Yunshan , a member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee and the Communist Party's propaganda chief, for tightening controls over the news media.