Elderly official beaten to death by 'mentally ill' homeless man

A police offer gathers evidence at the scene where a 71-year-old man died after being struck in the head with a wooden stick in Phrom Phiram district of Phitsanulok province on Saturday night. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)

PHITSANULOK: A 71-year-old man died after being repeatedly struck in the head with a wooden stick by a man -- said to be mentally deranged -- in Phrom Phiram district of this lower northern province late on Saturday night, police said.

Pol Lt Col Manu Horasart, a Phrom Phiram police duty investigator, said the incident occurred at Wat Choeng Khao Vanaram temple in tambon Thap Yai Chiang.

Eyewitnesses told police that Boonlert Rattana, 71, of Village Group 5, was inspecting the village waterworks plant at the temple when he noticed a man, about 40 years old, standing nearby and holding a 50-centimetre-long wooden stick.

When Boonlert told him to stay away, the younger man raised the stick, leading to a struggle. The younger man was hit in the head, but was then able to wrestle control of the stick and hit the older man repeatedly. Boonlert later died of severe head injuries.

The man, who was unidentified and homeless, was arrested and sent to Phrom Phiram Hospital for examination to establish whether he was mentally ill.



