Thousands protest over slaying of student

The group, led by PNU rector Jongrak Plasai, called for an end to violence against innocent people and condemned those who shot dead the university’s second-year student Suthida Tangjai on November 2. He called for a swift investigation by police to punish the killers.
The rally attracted the attention of bystanders, who backed the call for peace and a ban on violence against innocent people and said such killings would create more attacks.
Meanwhile, suspected insurgents hurled a grenade and opened fire yesterday at a booth for village defence volunteers in Bannang Kuwae in Yala’s Bannang Sata district. This led to a brief gunfight but no injuries were reported, although there was damage to the booth and a nearby backhoe. Police collected many spent M16 bullets from the scene along with a grenade pin.
Defence volunteer Abdul-hakim Darase said he was at the booth alone when he heard the explosion at 2.30am followed by gunshots so he fired back at 7-8 attackers for 15 minutes, with help from another volunteer who lived nearby. Abdul-hakim and his family had been targeted by attacks until his parents and a two-year-old niece were killed earlier this year. Insurgents were reportedly angry of him joining the security officials’ side.
In Yarang district in Pattani, a roadside bomb was set off at 7.50am yesterday, targeting a ranger team providing protection for teachers about 500 metres from Ban Khao Toom School. This led to a volunteer ranger getting a minor injury.