Zhou Kehua case reflects Chinese media's sanitised crime coverage
Chang Ping says the case of gangster Zhou Kehua demonstrates Chinese authorities' rigid intolerance of a serious reflection of the social circumstances that can lead to crime
Zhou Kehua was a hardened criminal who robbed banks, murdered the innocent and shot at the police in a series of cases that shocked the nation and made him one of China's most wanted fugitives.
His crime spree - spanning Chongqing , Jiangsu and Hunan - lasted eight years. He died on August 14 - shot dead by brave policemen, according to the police, but some people believe he committed suicide.
A few days later, rumours began circulating online that the authorities had issued a gag order: all media outlets and online sites must carry only the reports by Xinhua and notices issued by the public security authorities, and nothing else.
They were to downplay the coverage of his death, and must especially avoid any discussion of his formative years and how and why he turned to crime.
This reminded me of my own experience.
Twelve years ago, another hardened criminal was in the news. Zhang Jun had led a gang of about 20 who similarly committed robbery, murder and attacks on the police in a spree over eight years, which also turned him into one of China's most wanted. He was arrested by Chongqing police in September 2000, and was sentenced and executed in May the following year.