The public becomes more agitated each time a violent incident occurs involving urban management personnel known as chengguan.

The death of a watermelon farmer in Linwu county, central Hunan province, during a row with urban management officers on Wednesday, has once again brought the actions of chengguan into the spotlight.

According to the local government media release, Deng Zhengjia, who was in his 50s, "died after abruptly falling to the ground in the process of a dispute with local chengguan officers". The release says Deng and his wife were fined and some of their watermelons confiscated when they were found to have set up a watermelon stall in "violation of the rules".