Police rule 'hero' cop's hotel death a suicide

Chongqing police announced Tuesday that a former anti-mafia hero police officer was found dead in a hotel, with his death believed to be suicide.

Zhou Yu, 45, was found dead on Friday in a hotel room in Yuzhong district of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, local police announced via its Sina Weibo Tuesday.

An investigation found Zhou had been suffering from diabetes and heart problems for years, police said. He was diagnosed with severe liver cirrhosis recently and was in a depressed mood. Police also said Zhou seemed rather depressed to his coworkers.

The authorities did not reveal any details about Zhou's suicide or the cause of death. However, online speculation said that Zhou had hung himself in the hotel, and that he was cremated on Monday.

Zhou was awarded a medal of honor in 2010 for his contributions during Chongqing's campaign to crack down on gang crimes which began in 2009, news portal people.com.cn reported.

He was among 20 police officers to receive the honor. Sixty other policemen and 20 policewomen were also promoted for their actions.

The campaign, orchestrated by then Chongqing Party chief Bo Xilai and then Chongqing vice-major and police chief Wang Lijun, was aimed at mafia-like organizations and corrupt police officials who provided protection.

Caixin magazine reported that Zhou was deputy leader of a special squad that handled multiple cases involving crime lords such as Peng Zhimin, the owner of Chongqing Hilton Hotel.

Peng was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011 for multiple crimes including organizing mafia-like groups and organizing prostitution. Peng's personal and company assets were confiscated by police.

Many entrepreneurs like Peng had their personal assets seized by police during the anti-gang campaign, with lots of assets apparently going missing afterward. Families of the businessmen appealed for return of their legal assets but few succeeded, according to Caixin.

Bo was sentenced to life in prison in September 2013 after being convicted of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

Wang was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2012 for bribe-taking, bending the law for selfish ends, defection and abuse of power.

After Bo and Wang were put under investigation, several star police officers were accused of abusing power or using force to interrogate suspects during the crackdown campaign, according to Caixin.

Wu Jiong, head of Chenjia-qiao police station of Shapingba district, Chongqing, was arrested on a charge of extorting confession by torture in October 2013.

Xiong Feng, police officer of the criminal squad of Shapingba was accused of the same crime but was not charged and is still in his post.

Both Wu and Xiong were in the squad led by Zhou and were awarded in 2010 for their accomplishments in the campaign, Caixin reported.

Gou Hongbo, a police officer in Chongqing's Changshou district, was arrested on a charge of extorting confession by torture in September 2013.