Toxic milk crusader dies in Xi'an after mysterious attack
Staff Reporter 2012-11-24 09:34
Jiang Weisuo is honored for his work to improve China's dairy industry. (Internet photo)
Jiang Weisuo, widely known for his crusade against toxic milk in China, died in Xi'an earlier this month after being attacked by a man who had earlier tried to blackmail him, reports the Shaanxi-based news website CNWEST.
Jiang was attacked on Nov. 2 after finishing a company meeting, and accounts vary as to whether he was beaten or stabbed. According to media reports, the attack may have been on account of a family feud, but the identity of the assailant remains unclear.
Police in Xi'an said Jiang's ex-wife, surnamed Yang, who allegedly divorced him on account of his public health campaign, was manipulated by someone upset with Jiang, suggesting Yang was the murderer. Internet users are enraged by this suggestion, which apparently does not tally with eyewitness accounts, leading netizens to speculate that the police are trying to impute the crime to Yang.
Jiang succumbed to his wounds in hospital on Nov. 14, though different dates have also been reported. The police have allegedly arrested a suspect in connection with the attack.
Formerly a farmer, 44-year-old Jiang came to nationwide attention for being the first to blow the whistle on underhand and unsafe practices in the country's dairy industry a full two years before the melamine scandal of 2008 from which the industry has yet to fully recover.
Jiang launched a self-funded 100,000-kilometer trip in 2006 to investigate the production of fake milk in western China and later provided his findings to the media, including the state broadcaster China Central Television. His revelations shocked the country and prompted Premier Wen Jiabao to launch an investigation.
He had faced threats due to his disclosures, with reports that there was a price of 500,000 yuan (US$80,000) on his head.
His crusade also led to business success. His Jiang Weisuo dairy company owned more than 300 stores across China and the company's revenue is expected to reach 30 million yuan (US$4.8 million) this year.
