A local court in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, has opened a case involving a medical doctoral candidate who died during a sperm donation last year.

Zheng Gang, a doctoral candidate in medical studies from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, died during his fifth donation at the sperm bank affiliated to the university in February 2011, Yangtze River Times reported.

Zheng Jinlong, father of Zheng Gang, sued Huazhong University of Science and Technology for $629,000 as a compensation for his son who died during a sperm donation last year. [Photo/Changjiang Times]

Zheng's father, Zheng Jinglong, sued the university for more than four million yuan ($629,000) in compensation.

The reason for Zheng's sudden death is still unclear, though the hospital said it was "accidental."

The father demanded an autopsy several times but the university refused. According to the father, his son was healthy and had just received a heath check.

The university talked the donor's wife and father into agreeing to cremate the body two days after his death, according to the Yangtze River Times.

The agreement also said the university will compensate the family 88,000 yuan "in humanitarian aid" and will exempt the tuition fees of Zheng's wife, who is also a doctoral candidate at the university.

During the trial, the attorney and the representative for the university denied any connection with Zheng's death and asked the court to reject the father's appeals.

The court will continue the trial another day.