Gansu “death marathon” county party secretary fell to his death “fear of suicide” or “take the blame”?

A 100-kilometer cross-country marathon held in Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, last month resulted in a tragic accident in which 21 people died and 8 were injured due to bad weather. The incident’s core official, Jingtai County Party Secretary Li Zuobi, was confirmed to have committed suicide by jumping off a building on Wednesday (9). There is news that Li Zuobi had been summoned by the discipline inspection committee on the marathon death before he committed suicide, but the official did not respond. Earlier, it was widely rumored that the marathon tragedy is suspected to be related to organizational ineffectiveness and corrupt practices, public opinion speculated that Li Zuobi to death accountability, may allow more responsible people to escape a disaster.

Mainland media reported on Thursday (10), Jingtai County Party Secretary Li Zuobi jumped to his death at home on Wednesday morning (9). There is also unconfirmed information that Li Zuobi jumped to his death from the hotel after being interviewed by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection at the Huayi Hotel in Baiyin City that day.

But so far, Gansu authorities have remained silent, and the public phone number of the Baiyin Huayi Hotel cannot be reached.

Mr. Li, who has been following the matter, thinks the incident is extremely unusual. He believes that according to the investigation procedures of major cases, the person responsible would first be restricted in personal freedom and under close supervision, without any chance to commit suicide. If Li Zuobi did commit suicide by jumping off a building, it would mean that someone wanted him to disappear.

Mr. Li said: this thing is not easy to get, now public opinion is fermenting, it is unlikely that the results will come out. Say there are these things, even more serious than this, people die, is the best way to solve the problem. This place anyone dies is indifferent, including him, all can be sacrificed, are the cost.

Our reporter found in the course of the interview, although this marathon tragedy has been nearly 20 days, but the local comprehensive stability maintenance of the matter, as well as the full range of communications monitoring still has not stopped. The reporter’s calls with local informants were also interrupted several times. In addition, all copy stores have been banned from transmitting and printing any information related to the marathon.

The staff at the print store: what are you printing? The first thing you need to do is to find a printer that is faster, my printer is very slow, we can’t do anything about that.

The station again contacted another copy store, was also told that this matter they can not do, and then hurriedly hang up the phone.

The printing boss: this thing printing information, can not do, can not do. You go elsewhere to fight, we are not doing this.

Li Zuobi suicide death has been a highly sensitive news, our reporter tried to contact more than 5 Jingtai County contacts, but they all refused to comment on the grounds that they did not know. Jingtai County and Baiyin Municipal Government also refused to respond.

Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, held a marathon 100km cross-country race on the 22nd of last month, during which 21 people were killed and 8 injured due to extreme weather such as heavy rain and hail. Many of them were veteran athletes of the Chinese marathon, and the incident drew the attention of the central government and all walks of life. A source told the station that serious corruption was involved behind the incident, and that the security measures for the event were null and void due to high kickbacks, which eventually led to the tragedy. But Gansu authorities have not announced the results of the investigation.

Some netizens speculate that Li Zuobi may not be able to withstand the pressure of the marathon event and choose to die; others believe that it may be the unspoken rule of “taking the blame” in the officialdom, to Li Zuobi alone to take responsibility.

Public information shows that Li Zuobi, 57 years old, from August 1985 to participate in the work, has served as the director of the Education Bureau of Baiyin City, the party secretary, the city Housing and Construction Bureau, the party secretary, Baiyin City, Jingtai County, the county party secretary, the second inspector, Baiyin City, vice chairman of the CPPCC and other positions.