A monk has been arrested for allegedly killing a 6-year-old boy who was found dead under a tree behind a temple in Khon Kaen's Mancha Khiri district, police said.
Pol Col Jaradpat Sutayasoranakhom, deputy commander of Khon Kaen provincial police, said yesterday investigators took Phra Klam, a monk at Sawangkongkaram temple in Mancha Khiri district, for a physical examination at a local hospital after the boy's body was found. The monk was then taken to Mancha Khiri police station for questioning and is now in police custody.
Phra Klam is accused by Subin Teanthip, 54, of murdering his nephew who was found dead just 50 metres away from the monks' living quarters. The monk denied the accusation, police said. A combined team of investigators, forensic police, and a doctor was sent to inspect a field near the temple after police were alerted to the death of the boy.
The boy, believed to have died about three to six hours earlier, was found face down under a tamarind tree with his body covered by a pile of sticks and leaves. There was blood coming from the victim's mouth, nose and ears. He is thought to carry sexual injuries.
Mr Subin said his nephew was last seen playing with friends on a playground at the temple. A monk asked the boy to go to his quarters.
He and his neighbours had searched for the boy on Sunday night until they found him dead yesterday morning.