Soldier killed by friendly fire, court concludes
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Friendly fire killed an Army private during a clash with redshirt protesters in front of the National Memorial during a political violence in April 2010, a Criminal Court inquest concluded on Tuesday.
Private Narongrit Sala from the Second Battalion of the Ninth Infantry Division in Kanchanaburi was killed by a high-velocity bullet fired from one of the troops operating in the area, the court said.
Narongrit was attached to the fast-mobile patrol unit deployed to control the situation in front of the National Memorial in Don Mueang district on April 28, 2010. Police and troops were involved in a clash with redshirt protesters in the area at the time.
Narongrit was gunned down at 3pm on the outbound Vibhavadi Rangsit Roa. A highvelocity bullet entered his left elbow, travelled through to the skull and destroyed brain tissue, according to the inquest. The court concluded that the bullet was fired by a soldier operating in the area.
This marked the eighth inquest on killings related to 2010 political violence to be concluded by the Criminal Court so far.
Public prosecutors and relatives of Narongrit did not turn out to hear the inquest’s result.
