Hou, a so-called 'village bully' from Xiping County, Zhumadian City, Henan Province, China, has preyed on locals for years, leaving residents suffering in silence. Recently, Hou reportedly recruited gang members to violently assault his neighbor, Xia Fugang, over a renovation dispute. On July 30, Xia killed Hou with a knife and injured four others, earning him the nickname ‘Xiping Hero’ on the internet. After the incident, some internet figures claimed that authorities deployed as many as 100,000 troops and police to hunt for Xia, raising suspicions that they were acting as the 'protective umbrella' for criminal forces.
According to the YouTube channel 'Current Affairs Jin Scan,' which frequently comments on Chinese current affairs, Xia fled the scene after the crime, vanishing into Xiping County's vast cornfields. Authorities immediately responded with high alert, issuing a wanted notice and offering a reward of 50,000 yuan (about 30,000 Malaysian ringgit) for Xia's capture.
However, when the misdeeds of Hou's family were exposed online, many people began to question whether this was a case of 'oppression leading to rebellion.'
'Current Affairs Jin Scan' reported that, in just a few days, over 100,000 police officers, armed police, special police, and even military troops were mobilized to search for the ‘Xiping Hero’. Dozens of large buses, infrared thermal imaging drones and military helicopters were deployed, creating a nearly impenetrable human wall in Xiping.
On the other hand, according to police reports, the 51-year-old Xia Fugang, after stabbing his neighbor to death, went on the run for several days. Last Saturday afternoon, he was captured by police in Luohe City. During his escape and hiding, he injured several innocent people.
The case working group of Zhumadian City, Henan Province, issued a police bulletin last Saturday stating that before the July 30 incident, the suspect Xia had rented a house to store sundries at Houyuan Community, Baicheng Street, Xiping County. On July 30, due to trivial matters, he got into a dispute with his Hou surname neighbor at the rental house and then stabbed the other party to death.