Man sets off fireworks in police station

BEIJING: A Chinese telecom company official, known for his philanthropic services, allegedly ransacked a police station along with seven others and injured 12 cops after he was instructed not to set off fireworks in connection to the Spring Festival.

The general manager of a telecom company, and others were persuaded by police at Dazhou in Sichuan province not to burst crackers in front of a complex as it was a forbidden area, local public security said.

However, the man was seriously offended by the police's refusal to allow fireworks, it said.

As police took away another person who lit crackers, the man was enraged further and took some others along with him, smashed the door of a police patrolling car and led them into the police station, breaking the furniture and beating police officers, the bureau said.

Twelve police officers were injured in the attack, including a woman official who fainted after being badly beaten, official Xinhua news agency said.

All were arrested for violently disturbing the police from executing public duties, it said.

The man, Zhang Jiuyuan was chosen as "2006 Top Ten Star Philanthropist" of Sichuan Province in 2007 for donating money for rural infrastructure construction and undergraduates. He was also nominated as "Top Ten Star Philanthropist" of Dazhou city in January.

Many Chinese cities including Dazhou have lifted the ban on fireworks.

The Dazhou government asked the public not to set off firecrackers in the downtown area before the Spring Festival holiday from Feb 7 to Feb 12.

Bursting crackers during the Spring Festival to drive away the evil spirits is part of the Chinese tradition.