NARATHIWAT: A police officer in Chanae district facing an investigation into the pawning of a police gun by a subordinate took his own life early Wednesday, shooting himself in the chest.
Pol Lt Veeraphong Kanchanakotchakorn, 51, was found dead in a pool of blood inside his sister's house in tambon Tanyongmas of Rangae district around 3am.
He had a gunshot wound to his chest and a 9mm pistol and spent cartridge were found at the scene, said Pol Col Surapong Chartsut, superintendent of Rangae police station.
He said Pol Lt Veeraphong was a deputy investigation chief at Chanae police station in this southern province. He had taken leave to visit his family, visiting his elder sister and staying overnight at her house.
Around 12.30am, his sister heard what sounded like fruit falling on the roof, but did not bother to investigate.
When she got up at 3am to go tapping at her rubber plantation, she saw her brother young brother lying dead in a pool of blood with his pistol near his body. She called the village head, who notified police.
The dead man's wife, Nanthicha Pattharaparitaporn, 29, told police he had often complained that he was under investigation over the pawning of an official pistol by a subordinate.
Three days earlier she saw him pointing his pistol at his head. She asked what he was doing. He just said he was not taking his own life, Ms Nanthicha said.
On Tuesday evening he phoned and told her to take care of their children, she said.
She believed the investigation into the gun being pawned may have driven him to suicide.
