Tour guide reportedly deaf in right ear after dispute in which mainland Chinese tourist was beaten and died
Mainland woman arrested in tourist death case says she was victim of violence
A mainland tour leader who was arrested over a dispute at a jeweller's after which a mainland visitor died claimed she was slapped so hard she lost her hearing in one ear.
Deng Haiyan, 32, submitted a report of her hearing test to Hung Hom police station yesterday, just over a week after she clashed with mainland tourist Zhang Lixia, 53, on October 19 at D2 Jewellery in Hung Hom.
"Her violence caused me to lose hearing in my right ear," Deng said outside the police station. "It has affected my family and my life.
"I hope she will respect me and apologise in person."
READ MORE: Beaten Chinese tourist at Kowloon jeweller's may have died from heart attack, say sources
Deng was the leader of a group of 19 mainlanders in Hong Kong that included Zhang and her colleague Miao Chunqi, a construction contractor from Heilongjiang province.
Deng claimed she tried to stop Zhang smoking inside the shop and was slapped in the right ear. Miao, 54, was allegedly beaten while trying to mediate in the argument and died in hospital less than 24 hours later.
Police arrested both women on suspicion of fighting in public and granted bail after questioning them for nearly 48 hours.
On Saturday, Deng undertook a hearing test at Precious Blood Hospital in Sham Shui Po and was certified as having gone deaf in her right ear.
A report from the clinical audiologist who treated her suggested "unilateral profound hearing loss in the right ear". The World Health Organisation classifies profound impairment as being unable to hear and understand even a shouted voice.
READ MORE: ‘Tell us the truth’: Distraught family of mainland Chinese tourist who died in Hong Kong shop fracas demand answers
Yip Chi-wai, chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Practitioners' Union, showed the medical report to the media yesterday.
"I hope the incident will not further affect tension between Hong Kong and the mainland," Yip said. "Tour guides and other [industry] practitioners will reflect on the case seriously."
A police source said Deng did not complain about being hard of hearing while she was detained for questioning.
He said police would look into her medical report and she would have her bail extended, pending further investigation.
