Suicide not a direct cause of DSI detainee’s death in custody: police
FORENSIC EVIDENCE suggests that title-deed suspect Tawatchai Anukul’s death was not a direct result of his attempted suicide while in custody, Bangkok’s Thung Song Hong Police Station superintendent Pol Colonel Mana Pohchuay said yesterday.
Mana and attorney Atthaporn Sutthibutr yesterday interviewed Institute of Forensic Medicine head Pornchai Sutheerakhun and the medical team that performed an autopsy on Tawatchai, who died while in Department of Special Investigation (DSI) custody.
After the four-hour meeting, Mana told reporters that evidence gathered in the past 21 days showed that Tawatchai’s death was likely caused by another person. He also insisted that the decision on whether or not Tawatchai’s death was murder, would have to be determined by a further investigation.
He said police could confirm that Tawatchai’s ribs were fractured but the timing of the injury was still unknown.
Mana said police will today interview doc?tors who X-rayed Tawatchai and treated him in the critical care unit.
Meanwhile, Mongkutwattana General Hospital director Dr Rienthong Nanna insist?ed yesterday that Tawatchai’s liver was not rup?tured at the facility.
Tawatchai died under mysterious circum?stances while he was being detained by the DSI over illegal land-deed registrations.
Dr Rienthong, in a Facebook post, invited the investigation committee as well as adviser Khunying Dr Porntip Rojanasunan to study the hospital’s CCTV footage from 2.31am to 7.51am for August 30. He said only three cardiopul?monary resuscitation (CPR) attempts had been made on Tawatchai, whose X-ray as of 2.20am showed no cracked ribs, and there was no sign of anyone causing the man’s liver to rupture. He added that medical personnel would be willing to provide testimony.
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