Law-enforcement authorities were further embarrassed yesterday as the media reported another suspicious death of a person in custody - allegedly from a frightening dream.
The news came at a bad time, with the government yesterday launching a three-month crackdown on prison abuse.
A day earlier, in response to the fatal beating of a 24-year-old Yunnan man in February, the Ministry of Public Security said it would raise awareness among police officers about the law and human rights, promising there would be no more suspicious deaths of inmates.
The latest death, of Hubei resident Li Wenyan, 50, in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, is the fifth case linked to custodial abuse to surface in the past two months.
Jiujiang officials attributed Li's sudden death to fright from a 'dreadful nightmare' and he was later confirmed dead at hospital last Friday, the People's Daily website reported.
But Li's family said they believed he was beaten to death by prison bullies because a few bruises were found on his forehead and the officials in charge of his custody could not give a convincing explanation.