Jiangxi bomber Qian Mingqi was twice the victim of forced demolitions - losing his savings, his wife and his hopes for life in a decade-long battle against social injustice.
The 52-year-old peasant turned petitioner triggered near-simultaneous blasts outside three government buildings in Fuzhou, between 9.18am and 9.45am on Thursday, losing his own life in one of the explosions. Two other people died in hospital and eight were injured, Xinhua reported yesterday.
But in the eyes of his neighbours, Qian was far from a violent man, and more of a victim who persisted in seeking redress. Many neighbours and fellow petitioners had no idea he had set off the bombs.
Qian's ordeal began in 1995 when his home was demolished by authorities to make way for a highway. Qian then saved up enough money to build a second home, but his dream of a happy life was shattered by a second forced demolition.
'Before the demolition in 2002, Qian put all his hopes on the second property, one of the most luxuriously decorated in the village,' a neighbour said yesterday. 'He wanted to live a comfortable life with his wife, two sons and a daughter.'
Qian's neighbours, whose houses were also demolished nine years ago, said the farmer's second house cost about 500,000 yuan (HK$599,000), but the authorities paid him only about half that in compensation.
'Because the authorities did not offer enough compensation, Qian was so angry that he hung slogans all over the five-storey building and resisted demolition,' a neighbour said.