Bulldozer driver quizzed on death
By Wang Xiang |
March 19, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A BULLDOZER driver is being questioned by Wuhan police after a 69-year-old woman died trying to stop her home being demolished.
Her family members had accused the demolition crew of murdering her by burying her alive but the authorities have said the woman caused her own death.
The family said that Wang Cuihua had stood in the way of bulldozers trying to stop her home in Wuhan City from being demolished. But they said the driver dumped earth on her after she fell into a pit, yesterday's Southern Metropolis Daily reported.
Wuhan authorities, however, said the tragedy was an accident and denied the family's accusation that police officers at the scene stood by and watched Wang die.
An unnamed police officer involved with the case said Wang's being buried alive by the demolition crew was just a story. He said that after Wang had jumped into the pit herself the soil around her had collapsed and buried her. None of the bulldozer drivers was at fault.
Wang's family said that standing behind the bulldozers were about 30 young men armed with cleavers, threatening to tear down the three-story building where three generations of Wang's family had lived.
The building was the last one to be demolished after the local government ordered a site to be cleared to make way for a factory.
Chen Yongfa, Wang's son, said his mother was arguing with the demolition crew before she suddenly fell into a pit. He said the next thing he saw was a bulldozer moving slowly and dumping earth into the pit. Chen said his mother was completely buried.
He and his four brothers jumped into the pit to get their mother out. Chen said that two police officers at the scene did nothing to help.
Wang died after she was taken to hospital.
A witness named Wei Yingkui backed up Chen's story but told the newspaper that the police would not let him talk about it.
Two district officials in Wuhan disputed media reports that the police officers took no action. They said that, in fact, the officers used their car to take Wang to hospital.
Chen said that the day before the tragedy, the family was planning a compromise with the demolition crew.
He said they had refused to move voluntarily only because the government wouldn't pay enough compensation and the 18 people in his family could not afford another house.
Her family members had accused the demolition crew of murdering her by burying her alive but the authorities have said the woman caused her own death.
The family said that Wang Cuihua had stood in the way of bulldozers trying to stop her home in Wuhan City from being demolished. But they said the driver dumped earth on her after she fell into a pit, yesterday's Southern Metropolis Daily reported.
Wuhan authorities, however, said the tragedy was an accident and denied the family's accusation that police officers at the scene stood by and watched Wang die.
An unnamed police officer involved with the case said Wang's being buried alive by the demolition crew was just a story. He said that after Wang had jumped into the pit herself the soil around her had collapsed and buried her. None of the bulldozer drivers was at fault.
Wang's family said that standing behind the bulldozers were about 30 young men armed with cleavers, threatening to tear down the three-story building where three generations of Wang's family had lived.
The building was the last one to be demolished after the local government ordered a site to be cleared to make way for a factory.
Chen Yongfa, Wang's son, said his mother was arguing with the demolition crew before she suddenly fell into a pit. He said the next thing he saw was a bulldozer moving slowly and dumping earth into the pit. Chen said his mother was completely buried.
He and his four brothers jumped into the pit to get their mother out. Chen said that two police officers at the scene did nothing to help.
Wang died after she was taken to hospital.
A witness named Wei Yingkui backed up Chen's story but told the newspaper that the police would not let him talk about it.
Two district officials in Wuhan disputed media reports that the police officers took no action. They said that, in fact, the officers used their car to take Wang to hospital.
Chen said that the day before the tragedy, the family was planning a compromise with the demolition crew.
He said they had refused to move voluntarily only because the government wouldn't pay enough compensation and the 18 people in his family could not afford another house.
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