Senior policeman murdered and two officers hurt in Pattani attacks
A police investigator has been gunned down in front of his home in a day of violence in Pattani which also saw two officers injured in a bomb attack.
Pol Lt Mauseng Sahor, 56, a deputy inspector at Mayo police station, was pronounced dead at a local hospital on Friday evening from multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
The senior officer was returning to his home in Sai Bai district from prayers at a nearby mosque when the attack occurred. Police believe at least two gunmen were involved.
Eleven bullet casings were recovered from the scene. They will be examined to determine whether the weapons they were fired from match those used in other attacks.
Police said the motive for the attack remained unclear. Pol Lt Mauseng’s body was taken for religious rites yesterday morning.
The murder followed a bomb attack which targeted a police armoured vehicle in tambon Sadawa, injuring two officers on board.
Pol Cpl Songkiat Pongsa-ard, 26 and Pol Cpl Ekkapong Jomjan, 25, both attached to Pattani Special Task Force 21, were returning to their station when the bomb was detonated.
The men were initially taken to Yarung Hospital, but had to be transferred to Pattani Hospital after they were found to have sustained serious injuries in the blast. X-rays showed a fracture in Pol Cpl Songkiat’s spine, while Pol Cpl Ekkapong was found to have brain swelling.
A bomb disposal team examining the blast scene, in Moo 3 of I-bu village, said an i mprovised explosive device weighing 4kg had been hidden inside a 25kg gas cylinder and placed in an underground pipe.
An investigation is under way to track down the assailants.
Another bomb attack in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district yesterday damaged two vehicles but did not cause any injuries.
Officials from the Forensic Science Department, who were travelling to inspect the scene of a robbery in the area, are believed to have been the targets of the attack, police said.