Official’s son investigated over fatal attack
Print Edition
Police are investigating allegations that the son of an official beat a man to death in a dispute over compensation after his dogs bit the victim.
Xie Benzong, 24, was walking in a park in the central city of Changsha on January 30 when he was bitten by two dogs belonging to Guo Bin, the son of a local official, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.
Guo, who police described as a “company employee,” drove Xie to hospital and agreed to give him 300 yuan (US$48) in compensation, Xinhua reported. But after treating him, the hospital told Xie the bill would be more than 1,000 yuan.
Police were called and they told Guo to pay 600 yuan, but he refused, Xinhua reported, citing Xie’s girlfriend.
The officers left and the two men began to fight, it is alleged, with Guo said to have struck Xie on the chest and head, rendering him unconscious.
Xie died five days later despite doctors’ efforts to save his life.
News of the case spread quickly on online social networks, with many Internet users expressing outrage that the police did not detain Guo until two days after the alleged incident.
“This shows that the law has been nearly trampled to death by the relevant departments,” one user of Sina Weibo wrote on Sunday.
“If you want to know why there’s so much opposition to raising civil servants’ wages, it’s because of guan’erdai like this,” wrote another, using a Chinese term for the children of government officials.
According to the Xinhua report, Guo turned himself in and the case is currently under investigation. His family has paid 840,000 yuan in compensation to Xie’s family, Xinhua said.
Internet users in China frequently voice outrage over cases of the well-connected exhibiting outrageous behavior or appearing to be treated as above the law.
In 2010, a police chief’s son tried to use his father’s status to avoid punishment after a fatal car accident. After running over a student in the northern province of Hebei, Li Qiming shouted: “Sue me if you dare. My father is Li Gang!”
His words became a catchphrase used to refer to children of powerful families who appear to act with impunity.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
