Internet users have taken part in an unprecedented investigation brought about by an online uproar after a man died in police custody and an official report blamed his death on a violent game of hide-and-seek.

The phrase “eluding the cat”, a Chinese expression for hide-and-seek, has turned into one of the hottest search items on the net in China since Li Qiaoming, 24, died of brain injuries four days after he was admitted to hospital on February 8.

Police in southwestern Yunnan province at first said that Mr Li, who had been arrested for illegally cutting down trees, was injured while playing duo maomao, “eluding the cat”, with other prisoners in a detention centre.

Local media quoted police as saying he had been kicked and beaten by other inmates and accidentally hit a wall, while one newspaper said he had been blindfolded and accidentally injured when he ran into a wall.

The news item swiftly drew more than 35,000 comments on the popular QQ.com site alone, most mocking or casting doubt on the explanation of death while playing hide-and-seek. Such was the furore in cyberspace that the local propaganda department issued a notice calling for four “netizen” investigators.

Officials were swamped with more than 500 applicants. The investigative committee eventually comprised four government officials, three journalists and ten “netizens” and other members of the public.

Among the successful internet applicants was Bian Ming, an editor at a local newspaper. At the end of the investigation he told The Times: “This demonstrates openness of information and a move towards greater transparency, and that the Government is becoming increasingly open-minded.”

So far none of the “netizens” has produced an alternative explanation for Mr Li’s death, at least, not in public, and Mr Bian accepted that the investigation was to some extent a show: “The Yunnan government wants to protect its image.”

Nevertheless, the entire procedure is a remarkable first for China. Yunnan province has taken some pride in announcing its intention to ensure more transparent government. Gong Fei, Yunnan’s propaganda chief, said: “We’ve invited internet users to investigate the case, and we hope they can made their own judgment and spread the information they see with their own eyes to as many as possible.”

The incident is another example of how Communist Party officials are paying increasing attention to internet discussion, in effect the sole forum in the country with relative freedom of expression. China has the world’s biggest internet population, with 298 million users, and thousands of government censors keep a tight rein on the web, but debate frequently runs beyond their control.

As for the phrase “eluding the cat”, it has become popular throughout the country — but now it means wishing death on an opponent.

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