BEIJING — Prosecutors in Shanghai have formally arrested two people over child molestation allegations, with state media identifying one as a prominent real estate developer.

The case has received prominent coverage in state media, including on national broadcaster CCTV Thursday, in an apparent attempt to draw attention to what is believed to be a widespread but underreported crime affecting millions of children in China.

A brief notice on the Shanghai prosecutor’s office’s microblog says the Putuo district branch had ordered the formal arrest Wednesday of two people, identified only by their surnames, Wang and Zhou.

The official Communist Party newspaper Global Times identified Wang as Wang Zhenhua, formerly chairman of Seazen, one of China’s largest developers. The company announced Wang had been replaced by his son on July 3.