Authorities in Anqing, Anhui province, say there was no direct relationship between the alleged suicides of several elderly rural residents and the coming burial reforms that require corpses to be cremated.

The Oriental Morning Post in Shanghai published an article saying that six local elderly people committed suicide so their bodies could be buried legally in coffins.

Starting June 1, all corpses must be cremated, according to a notice from the Anqing government on March 25.