Probe begins into poacher's death

Probe begins into poacher's death

Jamnong Krohging, 39, died in custody after he was arrested April 5 with a gun and the carcass of a gaur. (FB/DNP1362)
Jamnong Krohging, 39, died in custody after he was arrested April 5 with a gun and the carcass of a gaur. (FB/DNP1362)

A senior deputy district chief in Buri Ram has been transferred as a probe gets under way into his role in the arrest of a suspected wildlife poacher earlier this month, who later died.

Rayes Rai, attached to the Non Dindaeng district office, was ordered to work at the provincial office. The order, signed by deputy Buri Ram governor, Prapas Raksasap, takes effect tomorrow.

According to Mr Prapas, the transfer was to ease a probe by the provincial office into the death of Jamnong Krohging, 39, at the request of his family.

The district office, he said, has set up a committee to look into the case.

Jamnong was busted in Dong-Yai Wildlife Sanctuary in Non Dindaeng district on April 5, on suspicion of hunting gaurs.

According to officials who took part in the arrest, the bones and hide of a gaur, believed to weigh about 500 kilogrammes, were found in the suspect's possession. Jamnong was also accused of having a gun, bullets, meat processing equipment and food supplies with him when he was arrested.

Another person, believed to have been an accessory, escaped.

After being taken into custody, Jamnong was sent to a hospital on April 8 with a severe stomachache. He died the following day.

The officials involved in the arrest said on April 10 the suspect had died of a ruptured stomach, adding that poachers commonly drink alcohol when camping out to hunt wildlife and do not eat much.

According to Jamnong's family, the results of autopsies carried out at Buriram Hospital and Srinagarind Hospital in Khon Kaen indicate he died of a spleen injury and from significant blood loss. Local villagers and the family on Monday took Jamnong's coffin to the Non Dindaeng district office and called for Mr Rayes's transfer.

In an unrelated case, a diamond trader petitioned the Justice Ministry Wednesday to look into a case in which Crime Suppression Division police seized 17 diamonds, worth 11 million baht, from her and failed to return them after officers decided not to press a theft charge against her.

Jirapan Julapan, 53, asked the ministry to make it a special case to be taken up by the Department of Special Investigation and help secure the return of the her diamonds.

She said a goldsmith filed a police complaint against her and her nephew, Woradit Julapan on July 10, 2013 for stealing the diamonds from him. Ms Jirapan insisted she had proof the diamonds belonged to her, which she bought from overseas. Police seized the diamonds as evidence.

She said prosecutors later dropped the charges against her and on Feb 8 this year ordered that the diamonds be returned to her. However, she claimed she has not yet received the stones.

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