On the early morning of June 11th, a violent explosion occurred in Xing’an County, Guilin, Guangxi, causing at least 7 deaths and 17 serious injuries. Local residents revealed that the explosion was initiated by an elderly man who had served in the engineering battalion and had a dispute over tea leaves he purchased, leading him to retaliate by making homemade bombs. The elderly man also perished in the explosion.
The explosion happened at 1:40 am in Xing’an Town, Xing’an County, Guilin, Guangxi. Local authorities reported that the explosion resulted in 7 deaths and 17 serious injuries. The police initially ruled out the explosion being caused by gas pipelines and are conducting further investigations into the incident.
According to reports from Caixin and Red Star News, the explosion was powerful, and witnesses described it as resembling a tornado with shattered glass, cracked walls, and door frames from the explosion point to the riverbank. Even residents 4 kilometers away from the explosion site felt the impact.
As reported by China National Radio, Xing’an County Hospital received over 30 injured individuals, including some with severe injuries, such as a two-year-old child who will be transferred to Guilin for further treatment.
Local officials rushed to the scene after the explosion. When Xing’an County Public Security Bureau reported the explosion on the morning of the 11th, they referred to it as an “incident” rather than an “accident,” indicating ongoing investigations into the cause.
The gas company in Xing’an County stated that the explosion was unrelated to natural gas. The fact that the police, not the emergency management department, reported the explosion suggests authorities are considering criminal elements in the incident.
Official reports have been cautious in their wording. However, several local residents shared more details with reporters, painting a tragic picture of the event.
One resident, Xu Huijuan, disclosed that the suspect spent 80,000 yuan on allegedly medicinal tea leaves, which did not work, leading him to seek revenge. It was said that he made homemade explosives, and it is believed that he also perished in the explosion.
Another resident, Han Changshun, mentioned that the suspect, an elderly man, was defrauded of tens of thousands of yuan, unable to afford medical treatment, and took matters into his own hands by making explosives. He hinted at searching for specific tea leaves related to the case.
Further details were provided by resident Jiang Chaoyang, who mentioned that the suspect threw two bombs at his adversaries and had previous military experience, responsible for explosives during his service.
Despite the interviewees offering substantial information, some residents remain cautious about speaking publicly. Ruan Lingyu admitted that locals are afraid to speak out online and can only discuss in private for fear of police repercussions.
Resident He Weiguo added that there is a heavy police presence in the area, including special forces, showing the severity of the situation.
On June 12th, attempts by Epoch Times reporters to reach the local police via phone were unsuccessful.
The explosion in Xing’an is not an isolated incident. In recent years, mainland China has seen a rise in extreme retaliatory violence incidents, particularly around the recent “May Day” holiday.
From March to May this year, there have been several significant violent incidents, including a tragic incident in Beijing on March 29th, where a man drove a heavy-duty truck into a market, resulting in numerous casualties. The exact death toll was suppressed by authorities, and social media users reporting on the incident were summoned by the police.
On April 19th, a car rammed into a crowd in Shuitou Town, Nanan, Fujian Province, with conflicting reports on casualties compared to official figures.
In late April and early May, there were indiscriminate attacks in different cities, including a stabbing incident in Wuzhou, Guangxi, where two deaths and six injuries were reported, with the perpetrator having grudges against traffic police.
In view of this worrying trend, a knowledgeable source within the system recently informed Epoch Times that spontaneous attacks across the country are on the rise.
The source revealed that hundreds of knife attacks occur daily in various parts of mainland China, with dozens of particularly egregious random attacks also happening daily but not disclosed to the public.
The Communist Party’s Political and Legal Affairs Commission, along with the Ministry of Public Security, has issued internal notices, directing local police to investigate extensively, focusing on discontented and potentially radical residents.
It is a concerning development in China as violent incidents and retaliatory acts seem to be on the rise, prompting tighter surveillance and investigations by authorities.