3 commit suicide in Sichuan forest area

Three people committed suicide on Thursday at a popular hiking destination, in Shifang, Sichuan province, according to a local police notice on Monday.

Two men, identified by their surnames, Zhou and Liang, and a woman surnamed Xie were found dead at a forest farm by tourists hiking on Saturday. The hikers called the police, and more than 100 personnel from government and other departments were dispatched to the scene, according to an article by a local media outlet.

According to the police, the three people — Zhou, 26, from Quanzhou, Fujian province; Liang, 23, from Xuchang, Henan province; and Xie, 30, from Bazhong, Sichuan province — arrived at Tianqiao village in Yinghua township of Shifang on April 20 and took poison.

The area, known as Tian'e Forest Farm, is often shrouded in thick mist and is a popular hiking destination about a 90-minute drive from Chengdu. The farm consists of 22,619 hectares, with a forest coverage rate of 54 percent, according to local media.

To avoid further hurting the families of the dead, the police are asking the public not to spread photos and videos related to the incident.