Chongqing Man Immolates Self Over Court’s Ruling

A man set himself on fire in Chongqing City’s Yuzhong District over a court ruling on a financial case on April 29. The man was later sent to a hospital.

According to cqnews.net, an eye witness said that the man, in his thirties, was standing at the staircase under the Liberation Memorial Plaque when a fire started on his body at around 12:20 p.m. The fire quickly ignited his entire body, and the man rolled down the staircase. Someone at the scene quickly called the police.

Several eye witnesses also said that the man had poured flammable liquid on himself and set himself on fire.

Eye witnesses said that the man carried an “open statement” with him that police later took it away. However, someone at the scene had already taken pictures of the “open statement” and posted it on the Internet. The photo of the statement on the Internet indicates that the man’s name is Zhong Zhihong, and also provides his government ID number. However, the remaining message is not legible.

A similar incident happened in Chongqing City on the same day. According to china.com.cn, a young woman in her twenties poured gasoline over herself in an attempt to burn herself at the Chongqing International Trust Company Ltd., in Chongqing City’s Yuzhong District at around 10:30 a.m. on April 29. She however was stopped by police before she could ignite herself.

Since the beginning of the year, Chinese media have reported several incidents of self-immolation. On February 25, while National People’s Congress was in session, three men from Xinjiang Province set themselves on fire inside a car in the busy intersection of Wangfujing and Chang’an Avenue in Beijing City. One man died on the spot and the other two were injured.

On the same day (February 25), a Mr. Fang in Guangdong City immolated himself in front of his company after being accused by his employer of stealing company property, while the employer owed him two-months pay.

On March 17, a taxi driver in Beijing’s Shunyi District suffered extensive burn injuries after setting himself on fire. The man was said to have resorted to the desperate measure due to great financial pressure.

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