Angry passerby pushes a "suicide jumper" off a bridge in S China

GUANGZHOU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A passerby pushed off a
would-be "suicide jumper" off a bridge in Guangzhou city, southern China's
Guangdong province, for he was "too angry about the jumper's selfish activity,"
Saturday's China Daily reported.

Passerby Lai Jiansheng (L) pushes off a
would-be "suicide jumper", Chen Fuchao,off Haizhu bridge in
Guangzhou city, southern China's Guangdong province, May 21, 2009. (Photo:
Guangzhou Daily)
Photo
Gallery

The jumper, Chen Fuchao, attempted to become the
twelfth "suicide jumper" of the Haizhu bridge which has gained a reputation as a
macabre tourist destination after attracting 11 would-be suicide jumpers since
the start of April.

Chen Fuchao falls off a
bridgeafter being pushed by Lai Jiansheng in Guangzhou city,
southern China's Guangdong province, May 21, 2009.(Photo: Guangzhou
Daily)
Photo
Gallery

Lai Jiansheng, the 66-year-old man happened to pass
by the Haizhu bridge on Thursday morning when he found Chen sit at the bridge
threatening to jump off and had held up traffic around the bridge for almost
five hours.

Chen wanted to kill himself because he was in 2
million yuan of debt following a failed construction project.

After knowing the situation, Lai volunteered to talk
with the Chen to persuade him. After denied by the police, he broken through a
police cordon and climbed up to where Chen sat.

Lai first greeted Chen with a handshake, and then he
pushed him off the bridge. Chen fell 8 meters onto a partially-inflated
emergency air cushion, damaging his spine and elbow in the fall.

"I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very
selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interest," Lai said.

Lai Jiansheng greets the crowd after he
pushed off would-be "suicide jumper" Chen Fuchaoon Haizhu bridge in
Guangzhou city, southern China's Guangdong province, May 21,
2009.(Photo: Guangzhou Daily)
Photo
Gallery

"They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead,
they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their
appeals," he added.

Lai was taken away by police after the incident. Chen
is now recovering in hospital.

Police sources said many suicidal people had
financial troubles, such as unpaid wages and some suffered from medical
conditions and injuries from workplace accidents.

"Traffic across the Haizhu Bridge, which is widely
regarded as an important scenic attraction, become worse," said a spokesman with
the Guangzhou public security bureau.

He said the situation caused chaos to residents,
adding that the city had to send a rescue vessel, an ambulance, several police
cars and fire engines each time when there was a "jumper."