Vietnamese authorities investigate unusual death of soldier of Infantry Officer School No. 1

Vietnamese soldiers

First-class Private Ly Van Phuong was initially confirmed dead, emerging in a lake in Quang Phuc village, Yen Bai commune, Ba Vi district, Hanoi, about 100m from his unit.

The body of a soldier born in 2000 was discovered at 18:30 pm on June 10, after about 25 hours since the unit noticed he was absent from the unit.

On June 12, the Vietnam News Agency quoted Mr. Nguyen Cong Thinh, from the Political Department of the Infantry Officer School No. 1, as saying that “the functional agencies are urgently investigating the cause of death of soldier Ly Van Phuong and strictly handle violations of related individuals and organizations, if any.”

This is the latest case of an active-duty soldier dying unexpectedly while not participating in training or performing duties.

At the end of 2021, soldier Nguyen Van Thien died while performing his military service at BB50 Battalion, BB991 Regiment, Gia Lai Provincial Military Command.

Initially, the domestic media on December 1, 2021 quoted Colonel Le Tuan Hien, Deputy Secretary of the Military Party Committee, Political Commissar of the Military Command of Gia Lai Province, as saying: “According to the results of the autopsy, I confirm that the bruise was caused by a fall, the incision was from an autopsy, not a beating. There was no conflict between Comrade Thien and his teammates.”

However, on January 7, 2022, the Military Command of Gia Lai province issued a press release announcing the names of three captured soldiers who were probed for their involvement in the death of soldier Thien with charge intentionally causing injury leading to death according to Point a, Clause 4, Article 134 of the Criminal Code 2015.

Another case that attracted public attention, even created some strong reactions in society, was the case of soldier Tran Duc Do, born in 2002, who died at the end of June 2021 while performing his military service in Thai Nguyen province.

The victim’s father was quoted by the press as saying that at first, the family was first reported by the man who claimed to be the head of the soldier’ unit saying Mr. Tran Duc Do “had a stroke at the training ground,” later reported that he was “in danger and being treated at the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Hospital,” and finally asked “did my son have any conflicts that he committed suicide by hanging himself?”

Mr. Tran Duc Hoi said that when he was brought to see his son’s body, the family found that Mr. Tran Duc Do’s head was concave, his mouth was swollen and purple, the back of his neck was swollen and bleeding, his limbs showed signs of being tied; there are rope marks on the back of the neck and mouth.

After the investigation process, the conclusion was “the cause of death of soldier Tran Duc Do was suffocation by hanging himself.”

Thoibao.de (Translated)