- MOSCOW: The mayor of a Russian town is accused of beating a 69-year-old woman who was slow to open the door when he showed up at his office late at night, Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday.
The woman was on the night watch at the administration building in the Pacific town of Shakhtyorsk when mayor Vladimir Khapalov showed up after midnight one night last November, Interfax said. Citing local prosecutors, it said Khapalov struck her with the door when she opened it, and hit her two more times. He then kicked her in the hip area after accusing her of sleeping on the job and demanding she resign, Interfax said. At one point the woman fell and hit her head on a radiator, the report said. She suffered scrapes, bruises and concussion. Interfax said the woman was hospitalized for 20 days afterwards. Khapalov has now been suspended and faces a criminal charge of violent abuse of authority.

