A 17-year-old boy, who was in his third year of a degree at an education institute of China's Pucheng, allegedly fell to his death on January 2 and the school called it an accident. But soon allegations spread on social media that authorities were covering up the case and that it was not an accident. Shortly, massive protests erupted across northwest China against the authorities. 

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Several videos circulated on the internet showed people clashing with police and throwing objects at them. Some officers were seen beating protesters at the site, BBC reported. 

Chinese media reported that around 50,000 people joined the protest and rally after the boy was "bullied to death in his school". It is being said that the protest is the largest since January 2023. 

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Death or cover-up? 

The school administration declared that the boy, identified with the surname Dang, died in an accident. But social media and protesters claimed he was bullied and beaten to death. 

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As per the CCTV report, authorities had investigated Dang's death after a "verbal and physical altercation" with his roommates. That inquiry came only after thousands gathered outside the school demanding for it

The report claimed that Dang was woken up in the night and was chatting with fellow students in his dormitory, which led to an argument and altercation. But it was resolved by the school authority, as per CCTV. But later on the same night, a student found the 17-year-old's dead body at the foot of the dormitory building. 

“At about 3 am on January 2, Huang, who shared a dormitory with Dang, found a wooden stool under the balcony window of the dormitory when he went to the toilet,” the agency reported.

The state media claimed the entire incident as an "accident" where Dang "fell from a height at the school". It reported that the investigation has been conducted and the case is not being treated as a criminal case yet. 

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Claims on internet 

Various videos shared on social media, verified by BBC, showed a large gathering outside the school chanting "Give us the truth" and an ambulance in which the school's principal "sought refuge" amid the protest. 

A post on the social media platform X said that Dang's family suspected that he was bullied on campus and the school is concealing the truth. 

Other claims also circulated in which people said Dang took his own life after being bullied by a fellow student. As per BBC, Dang's family claimed that there were injuries on his body and they were not allowed to examine the body for long. 

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(With inputs from agencies)