A postgraduate student in Hunan province was sentenced to death on Monday for poisoning his roommates' food and causing the death of one, the Xiangtan Intermediate People's Court said.

Zhou Liren, a student at Xiangtan University, was also deprived of his political rights for life. The court determined that Zhou and the victims surnamed Zhang and Zhou (another roommate with the same family name), were all postgraduate students admitted in 2022.

Zhou Liren moved into the same dormitory of the two victims in June 2023, and frequent disputes erupted over minor issues between them, leading to growing resentment.

In January last year, Zhou Liren researched and purchased colchicine, a toxic substance, and kept it hidden in his dormitory wardrobe. In the meantime, tensions between him and his roommates escalated with several heated arguments in March and April the same year.

On April 3, after learning that his roommates had asked the university to relocate him to a different room, Zhou Liren mixed colchicine powder into a can of oatmeal shared by Zhang and the other Zhou. Zhang consumed the poisoned oatmeal and was rushed to the hospital after experiencing vomiting on April 7.

Despite medical intervention, he died six days later. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as acute colchicine poisoning leading to multi-organ failure.

His friend survived as he did not consume the poisoned oatmeal.

Zhou Liren was arrested on April 17. Investigations revealed his undergraduate studies included coursework involving colchicine.

The court said he acted out of personal resentment, misused his specialized knowledge and intentionally poisoned food shared by his roommates. During Zhang's treatment, Zhou Liren intentionally withheld crucial information, delaying efforts to save his life. He also attempted to hide and destroy evidence after the incident.