Beijing - Ten people, including a woman, were arrested in China Wednesday for spreading rumours about the end of the world, and asking people to join a cult to survive the apocalypse.
Four people were held on charges of disturbing public order as they spread the doomsday rumours on the streets of Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, the Shanghai Daily reported.
In Quanzhou city in the same province, six people were detained for cheating innocent people of money using the doomsday excuse.
The four in Fuzhou were accused of distributing pink leaflets, saying doomsday was near.
They also handed out red dates and walnuts, as their Chinese pronunciation sounds like "escape in time", police said.
The accused also invited people to write down their names, phone numbers and addresses on a so-called "Life Book" to sign up as member of their cult.
Police said they were from an organisation that paid them to attract new members.
Around 34 middle-aged women were also held for spreading rumours in public.
