Sackings and arrests over watermelon vendor's death
Source: Agencies |
July 21, 2013, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A COUNTY in central China's Hunan Province sacked two top urban management officials yesterday, while police arrested six of their subordinates, after a vendor was allegedly beaten to death.
Hu Bin, director of the urban management bureau in Linwu County, and, Zou Hongwei, a bureau deputy Party chief ,were dismissed from their posts and placed under investigation.
The detentions and firings came amid mounting public anger at the handling of the case by local authorities in Linwu. While eyewitness accounts in news reports indicated Deng Zhengjia, 56, was most likely beaten to death, the county government said he died suddenly, but did not offer a clear explanation.
An ensuing episode in which local government staff reportedly took Deng's body by force from family members resulted in claims of a cover-up.
Meanwhile, Linwu County government said yesterday that Deng's family has received 897,000 yuan (US$146,208) in compensation.
It said the compensation was released in accordance with relevant laws and regulations to include death compensation, funeral expenses and a sum for damages related to emotional distress.
The death of watermelon grower Deng on Wednesday in Linwu has infuriated China's public, who have long complained about urban management officers - known as chengguan.
Although chengguan have no legal authority to use force, they are often accused of beating people who commit minor infractions.
Media commentary on the Linwu incident criticized violence associated with chengguan.
"The public expect to know the truth of the incident and to have the case properly handled, but they also are calling for reflection on what is the root of violent enforcement," Xinhua news agency said in an editorial.
"Let's hope the tragedy of a watermelon grower's death can be the end of violent enforcement by chengguan."
The People's Daily, the Party's flagship newspaper, commented on Deng's death on its microblog. "Maintaining social order with force is no different from fighting fire with wood," it said.
Hu Bin, director of the urban management bureau in Linwu County, and, Zou Hongwei, a bureau deputy Party chief ,were dismissed from their posts and placed under investigation.
The detentions and firings came amid mounting public anger at the handling of the case by local authorities in Linwu. While eyewitness accounts in news reports indicated Deng Zhengjia, 56, was most likely beaten to death, the county government said he died suddenly, but did not offer a clear explanation.
An ensuing episode in which local government staff reportedly took Deng's body by force from family members resulted in claims of a cover-up.
Meanwhile, Linwu County government said yesterday that Deng's family has received 897,000 yuan (US$146,208) in compensation.
It said the compensation was released in accordance with relevant laws and regulations to include death compensation, funeral expenses and a sum for damages related to emotional distress.
The death of watermelon grower Deng on Wednesday in Linwu has infuriated China's public, who have long complained about urban management officers - known as chengguan.
Although chengguan have no legal authority to use force, they are often accused of beating people who commit minor infractions.
Media commentary on the Linwu incident criticized violence associated with chengguan.
"The public expect to know the truth of the incident and to have the case properly handled, but they also are calling for reflection on what is the root of violent enforcement," Xinhua news agency said in an editorial.
"Let's hope the tragedy of a watermelon grower's death can be the end of violent enforcement by chengguan."
The People's Daily, the Party's flagship newspaper, commented on Deng's death on its microblog. "Maintaining social order with force is no different from fighting fire with wood," it said.
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