Khon kaen: A 49-year-old man, identified as Jampa, suffering from mental illness, was apprehended after seriously injuring a police officer with a knife in the Ban Chad Yai area of Nong Song Hong District.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident occurred around noon when Jampa went on a rampage, prompting villagers to call for police assistance. Upon arrival, Jampa resisted arrest and attacked Police Lieutenant Colonel Preecha Kongkird, causing significant injuries before fleeing into a nearby forest.
The police, in coordination with the Khon Kaen Provincial Police investigation team and local authorities, launched a search operation fearing Jampa might pose further danger. They also stationed officers around his residence, anticipating his return. Their efforts were fruitful when an infrared camera captured Jampa returning home at 4 AM. Officers allowed him to enter his house but apprehended him later in a rice field as he attempted to escape again. The knife used in the attack was not found at the scene.
During initial questioning, Jampa confessed to hiding in the forest post-incident and returning home due to hunger, seeking food from his mother. He claimed he attacked the officer in self-defense, fearing he would be shot. After questioning, Jampa was taken back to his home for a search, where he asked for his mother's forgiveness. Evidence, including a bloodstained shirt worn during the incident, was recovered.
Jampa's actions suggested a probable plan to escape again, as inferred by the superintendent of the Khon Kaen Provincial Police Investigation Division. The knife was later found in the area where he hid. Although Jampa had no prior drug involvement, he has a history of mental illness linked to a past breakup. Despite previous severe episodes, continuous treatment was not pursued by his family. Police have charged Jampa with "attempted murder of a police officer while on duty" and "carrying a knife in a public place without justifiable cause."