Abnormal deaths of officials should be checked for cause

A TOWNSHIP-LEVEL PARTY CHIEF in Guilin, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, is reported to have died from a fall in his house on Sunday; Zhao Mansheng is the ninth official to have died unexpectedly in the past 30 days. Their untimely deaths should be investigated to see whether any corruption or other wrongdoing was involved, says Beijing News:

The unexpected death of anyone should be looked at and its cause made clear. That is especially true when the person that dies is an official. The authorities have a duty to investigate and determine the cause of death because the deceased has power in his or her hands and that might have been the fundamental cause of death.

With the ongoing anti-graft campaign showing no signs of easing, the "abnormal" deaths of officials arouse people's suspicions. Were they involved in corruption? Did they commit suicide? Is there any corruption clue in their hands? Did some higher official have them murdered?