Qiu Yankun said Wednesday that police started blocking roads leading to Wukan village in Guangdong province about five days ago and prevented food from being transported in.

He says police started to allow some food in on Monday but continued to prevent villagers from fishing. Qiu was reached by phone.

Calls to local government and police offices rang unanswered.

Residents have been angered by the death of a Wukan villager in police custody Sunday. Provincial authorities say he died of cardiac failure.

Protests fueled by illegal land seizures are common among farmers in China.