Prison for drunk in Shanghai Metro line drama

A drunk man who jumped onto the tracks at a Shanghai Metro station and threatened to kill himself with a knife has been jailed for nine months.

His actions at Metro Line 3 Songbin Road Station led to a delay of more than an hour on Line 3 and lesser disruptions on Line 4.

The 36-year-old, surnamed Tang, was found guilty of severely disturbing public order, the Shanghai Railway Transport Court said yesterday.

Tang, a former chef, was an alcoholic and gambling addict, the court heard.

On the morning of February 21, after losing a large sum of money in online gambling, Tang began drinking and got into an argument in an Internet cafe.

He bought a kitchen knife and went to Songbin Road Station, the court heard.

Tang suddenly jumped onto the track and walked toward the tunnel. When Metro officers approached him, Tang produced the knife and held it to his throat, threatening to kill himself.

The standoff lasted an hour before police persuaded Tang to put down the knife.