Likely more charges in fatal hazing

Likely more charges in fatal hazing

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Seven senior university students charged with causing the death of a 19-year-old freshman during a violent hazing ritual may also face charges of assaulting and causing indignity to other junior students forced to attend.

Investigators have completed their questioning of all the second-and first-year students of Rajamangala University of Technology Isan who attended the brutal hazing in a field outside the campus, Pol Col Kanatnan Suwannasap, superintendent of Maroeng police station in Muang district, said yesterday.

Lecturers in charge of university regulations would be questioned later, he said.

Meanwhile, investigators were awaiting the autopsy report from Police General Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine, while compiling the evidence to conclude the case.

The seven senior students directly involved in the lethal hazing have already been interrogated and charged with physical assault causing death.

Police took them yesterday morning to the dry paddy field at Ban Khok Makok in tambon Nong Rawiang, Muang district for a crime re-enactment.

Padyos "Nong Prem" Chonpakdi, 19, a first-year student, died after being beaten unconscious during the hazing on Sunday night.

Details were posted on the Facebook page "ANTI SOTUS" along with a photo of the victim.

The post said senior students took Padyos to the rice field under the pretence they were going to play football.

Instead, the gathering became a violent ritual in which Padyos was forced to drink alcohol and was then beaten unconscious. He died on the way to hospital.

Pol Col Kanatnan said more charges would be brought. They include physical assault causing injury, because other students were also hurt, and disgracing junior students who were forced to take off their clothes.

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