The death of a 17-year-old student in north-west China has sparked mass protests over alleged government and police mishandling of the case.
Dang Changxin, from Pucheng in China’s Shaanxi province, reportedly fell to his death from his vocational school’s roof on 1 January. But public outrage has been fuelled by allegations of suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the teen.
His family disputed the official explanation of suicide as people accused authorities of suppressing information.
Protests escalated into violent clashes with heavily armed police using tear gas and batons, marking one of China’s most significant public order challenges in recent months.
Pucheng authorities in a 5 Jan statement said a student surnamed Dang died at the campus of Pucheng County Vocational Education Center after falling from a building. The joint investigation team ruled out any crime, and informed the student’s family of their conclusion.
Online videos revealed heavily armed police dispersing crowds by using batons, kicking protesters, and deploying tear gas, BBC reported.
On 2 January, Dang’s parents were called to the school and told only that there was an urgent matter, according to Human Rights in China, a nongovernmental organisation founded in March 1989 by overseas Chinese students and scientists.
According to the group, upon arriving, his mother was not allowed to see her son. His classmates seemed flustered, avoided her questions, and quickly dispersed. She was then escorted to a room, where she was confined and denied any updates about her son’s condition, the organisation said in a statement.
The deputy director of the local police station told Dang’s mother that her son had died by suicide. The investigation was concluded and closed within 24 hours, the group said.
These claims, however, could not be verified by The Independent.
In the afternoon, after repeated requests, Dang’s mother was finally permitted to view her son’s body at the funeral home but prevented from checking the child’s corpse for any traumatic injuries, and were told the school’s surveillance system was damaged after demanding to see security footage, the group reported.
“These actions triggered public speculation that the school was trying to cover up the truth,” the group said.
Weinan’s public security bureau did not immediately respond to a request by Reuters to confirm whether the protest was related to the details mentioned by Human Rights In China.
Demonstrators gathered at the school, demanding accountability.
Lin Shengliang, founder of the Chinese Human Rights Accountability Database, which has been following the incident, told VOA: “The accidental nature is that they (the authorities and the school) did not expect that the public would not believe what they said, and that everyone bravely stood up. The inevitability is the inevitability of the public’s long-term dissatisfaction with society and distrust of the government.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
f you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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