President Xi Jinping has urged all-out efforts to treat residents injured in a car ramming case on Monday in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, demanding that the perpetrator be severely punished according to the law.

The incident occurred at 7:48 pm on Monday when a 62-year-old man, surnamed Fan, allegedly drove an SUV into a sports center in Zhuhai and hit a crowd of people who were exercising in the facility, according to a statement posted by the city's public security bureau on Tuesday.

So far, the incident has caused 35 deaths and severe injuries to 43 others, the statement said, noting that Fan has been detained on suspicion of endangering public security.

The preliminary findings also showed that the incident was allegedly triggered by Fan's dissatisfaction with the split of financial assets in his divorce, it said, adding that further investigation into the case is underway.

In an instruction on the case, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, required all localities and relevant authorities to draw lessons from the incident, and to strengthen their prevention and control of risks at the source.

He also emphasized the importance of resolving disputes in time, preventing the occurrence of extreme cases, and making every effort to safeguard the security of people's lives and social stability.

Premier Li Qiang called for appropriately handling the aftermath of the incident, swiftly investigating the case and severely punishing the perpetrator in accordance with the law.

Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, urged coordinated risk prevention and control efforts to ensure social stability.

Following Xi's instruction, the central authorities have sent a team to oversee the handling of the case.

At a meeting held by the Guangdong provincial leadership on Tuesday, Huang Kunming, Party secretary of Guangdong, highlighted the priority of investigating the incident, pledging to guarantee safety and properly deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.

Huang vowed to spare no effort in treating the injured, mobilize the strongest expert resources, make every possible attempt to save lives and minimize disabilities resulting from injuries to the greatest extent.

Timely psychological counseling and thorough comfort and assistance should be provided to the injured and the victims' families, he said.

According to the statement from Zhuhai's public security bureau, Fan was caught as he slashed himself with a knife in his car.

He is currently in a coma as a result of the serious self-inflicted injuries to his neck and other parts of his body, and police are unable to question him, the statement said.

While further investigating the case, the statement added that medical treatment of the injured is also ongoing.

A number of rescuers from the city and others in the province rushed to the sports center to treat the injured, and a team of 11 medical experts organized by the National Health Commission has gone to Zhuhai to guide the treatment, Nanfang Daily, a local news outlet, reported on Tuesday.

With 36 ambulances mobilized, more than 300 medical staff from five hospitals in the city are treating the injured, the report added.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn