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Gang leader gets 18 years' jail for two killings By Alethea Lim Court Correspondent AT 16, Balachandran Bernard became the section head of the '369' secret society. For giving the go-ahead, Balachandran bore responsibility for the assaults. --WONG KWAI CHOW The middle child in a family of three boys, he assumed the top position in the gang's Teban Gardens area after the then section head was sent to jail. Balachandran, who was educated only up to Primary 5, had been recruited into the gang three years earlier. His new position included reporting the group's activities to the gang's main leader. He also became a mentor for those members who went to him for help. A year after his release, , he ordered two separate attacks which resulted in two men being killed and a third being injured seriously. Yesterday, Balachandran, now 20, was sentenced to 18 years' jail and the maximum 24 strokes of the cane. He had on Tuesday pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter while being part of an unlawful assembly and one charge of causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons while part of a gang. His lawyer, Mr S.S. Dhillon, said the youth never laid a finger on the two men whom his gang battered to death. Balachandran had only participated in the assault on Mr Nasir Din Meera Sahib, 37. But Judicial Commissioner Woo Bih Li disagreed and said that 'the person who gave the go-ahead is no less responsible than the attackers' and should bear primary responsibility for the assaults. The first attack happened at East Coast Park , where the gang assaulted Mr Hamzir Hamin, 41, using wooden poles and metal rods. Mr Hamzir died in hospital from multiple head injuries four days later. On Oct 15, the gang set upon Mr Nasir Din and his friend, Mr Roslan Mohamed, 31, with parangs. The pair were at a pub in City Plaza in Geylang Road celebrating Mr Roslan's birthday. Mr Roslan died at the scene from a neck wound while his friend received 50 slashes and spent 15 days in hospital with injuries to his arms, back, neck, scalp and chest. The attacks on both occasions were unprovoked. Balachandran went on the run but was arrested last July in Johor Baru. In a statement read out in court, victim Nasir Din said: 'They slashed me a few times on my back. I was bleeding all over my body.' When he collapsed, the gang continued slashing him. 'I thought I was going to die,' recalled the father of two children, aged 13 and six months. Mr Nasir Din stopped work because of his injuries. He has already spent about $30,000 on his medical bills. 'I have to live with the ordeal of losing a good friend and being a burden to my family. I will never forget this terrifying incident for the rest of my life,' he said.

Curfew may be extended The security forces have yet to complete the mop-up operations against pockets of "terrorists" in parts of Bangkok and the extension of curfew might be deemed necessary, Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Thursday. "The prime minister is expected later today to decide about the curfew extension," he said. Sansern admitted last night's curfew had caused a lot of inconveniences but it was unavoidable. He also said the probe was underway to unmask the culprits behind the killings of a number of people seeking refuge inside Wat Pathumwanaram on Wednesday. "The authorities suspect the people were killed by sharpshooters," he said. Nine people were reportedly shot dead inside the temple under mysterious circumstances last night. While I am not taking sides, I am shocked the troops killed people seeking refuge in a temple. There are some lines that shoudn't be crossed. They killed their own and seems to be trying to push the blame to someone else. Ya right, some other army stormed the temple...... Thailand will probably not be the same anymore.