Hong Kong, Nov 8 (IANS) A Hong Kong university student who suffered a severe brain injury after he fell from a car park earlier this near an area of confrontation between protesters and police, died on Friday.
Chow Tsz-lok, a second-year computer science undergraduate at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), reportedly fell from the third floor to the second floor of a car park in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday, while police carried out a dispersal operation nearby with rounds of tear gas fired, reports the South China Morning Post.
The 22-year-old had been in a coma after being sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital early on Monday morning.
Two operations were carried out to stop the swelling in his head, but sources said neither helped reduce the damage.
His condition deteriorated on Thursday night before he died due to cardiac arrest on Friday morning, a source said.
HKUST issued a statement on Friday morning urging students to “stay calm and exercise restraint during this difficult moment” to avoid “conflicts or even tragedies” from happening.
Sunday’s clash in Tseung Kwan O, which extended into the following day, was sparked by a group of people trying to disrupt a police officer’s wedding held in a hotel in the district.
It was unclear whether Chow was in the group, why he was at the car park and what exactly caused him to fall.
On Tuesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam expressed her sympathy for Chow, and said the case needed to be investigated.
–IANS
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