Doubt lingers about the actual cause of the deaths of two Muslim teachers
Former Narathiwat representative Areepen Utarasin has doubt about the deaths of two Muslim female teachers in a roadside bomb attack in Janae district of Narathiwat on July 24.
Official report said that the two teachers, 38-year old Nayeeha Yeera and 44-year old Nurayahan Arwae died of shrapnels from a bomb explosion which sent a sedan in which they were traveling with another teacher, Mr Apichart Benjulamat, into a roadside ditch. Apichart and two policemen who were traveling in another car to provide escort to the teachers were also wounded.
Rumour however spread out quickly among local Muslims that the two teachers died of gunshot wounds inflicted by the escorting police. In response to the rumours, Governor Apinan Suethanuwong personally led his men to visit local and religious leaders to convince them that the two victims were killed by bomb shrapnels. He said that shrapnels were found embedded in their skulls and other parts of the body and there were no gunshot wounds.
However, Areepen posted a message on Facebook social media saying that he visited the scene of the attack the following day and was told by villagers living in close vicinity of the incident they heard gunshots believed fire by the police.
The ex-representative told Isranews agency that he decided to post the message in the social media because he was a politician and he simply could not ignore the suspicion of the local Muslims.
But Mr Areepen’s Facebook message has raised suspicion among authorities who questioned his motive. But the former representative was unperturbed saying that he had always been seen with suspicion by the security forces.
He suggested that authorities concerned or the secretary-general of Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre Pol Col Thawee Sodsong should cleat the air about the incicdent in order to quell the rumour.
He also urged the office of the Chularatchamontri Muslim spiritual leader to clearly set the guidelines about autopsy on Muslim people who have to be buried in 24 hours after their deaths. Such a tradition has impeded autopsy to determine the actual cause of death.
An eyewitness who claimed to have seen the incident reported that he saw a police car stop in front of a grocery after the bomb blast. Then the teachers’ car slammed into the police car’s door, lost control and plunged into the roadside ditch.
The witness claimed that he saw the two female teachers being thrown out of the car and cried for help, then there was sound of gunshots. The teachers were later found dead at the scene.
Mrs Rokayeh Luebaesa, wife of the surviving male teacher, said that the teachers didn’t want to be escorted by the police for fear of their own lives.
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Caption : Areepen Utarasin