Youth pays ultimate price for heroic deed
Yang Jiyuan, who died fighting two burglars on Dec 31, has caught the imagination of people across the country. But instead of depending on such youths to fight crime, local authorities should take proper measures to prevent them, says an article in Huashang Daily. Excerpts:
A noble life bid farewell to the world on the last day of 2009. Yang Jiyuan, a university student in Zhejiang province, died fighting two armed burglars. He has become a hero for the entire nation.
Yang was driven by conscience. In this age of cynicism, he indeed is a noble soul and deserves all the tribute he is getting.
But the cost he paid was very high: death at the age of 22.
In fact the tragedy could have been avoided. According to some online postings, burglars were often seen around the community where the incident took place. This shows the local authorities failed to do their duty.
It is reasonable for any one to think that if there were enough policemen on patrol in and around the community, Yang would have got help in his fight against the armed burglars.
More conscientious people are definitely needed to make society a better and more secure place. But the authorities should take proper measures to ensure security for all so that similar tragedies can be averted.
(China Daily 01/06/2010 page9)
