Brit killer is released on bail
The Norwegian martial artist accused of choking a British man to death in a Thai hotel resort stormed into his supposed’s victim’s room via the balcony, police confirmed as they released the suspected killer on bail.
Roger Bullman, 53, has been charged with the manslaughter of Amitpal Singh Bajaj after launching a frenzied attack because the father from Southall, west London, confronted him for making too much noise.
Authorities in Bangkok have now said that Bullman used armed forces training to strangle Amitpal in his room at the Centara Grand Resort in Phuket where he was staying with his wife and young son.
Karon police major Techin Deethongon said: ‘They fought, and because of his military background the Norwegian strangled the victim.
‘He confessed and said he did not think his act would cause the victim to die.’
Techin said the scuffle erupted after Amitpal had complained about noise from the next room disturbing his family’s sleep.
Bullman, who faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted, was granted bail of 400,000 baht (around £10,750).
Neither the British nor Norwegian embassies in Bangkok responded to requests for comment.
Amitpal’s wife, Bandhna Kaur Bajaj, 34, revealed that her husband screamed for her to take their two-year-old son Veer to safety as he was choked to death.
She said: ‘He just started charging at my husband. And we wanted to make an exit but he just came running, hitting my husband.
‘My husband tried to block the man and move me and my son away.
‘As the man was kicking, punching and just, beating him up, my husband told me to please leave and save our son. He said, ‘Please just go, go, save Veer’.
She said as she took their young child, she saw her husband fall to the ground.
Mrs Bajai said: ‘I knew that my life was in danger and my baby’s life was in danger. So I hid under a tree.
‘I called the reception, and I asked the reception to please make sure someone attends to my husband.
I said ‘Please give him some medical help, I’m very scared, I’ve escaped.’ I could still hear him screaming. I didn’t want to be attacked.’
She added: ‘My husband sacrificed his life to save my son’s life and mine. He will always be our hero.’
Mr Bajaj, from Southall, London and his wife were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. Mr and Mrs Bajaj met when they were 18 at a friend’s wedding.
Police said hotel security visited the room of Bullman, but his uproarious balcony singing is said to have grown louder.
Mr Bajaj then allegedly grabbed a steak knife from his room and decided to confront Bullman at 4 am on Wednesday.
But Bullman, who was allegedly drunk, refused to lower his noise and continued yelling and singing. They started quarreling before the row turned into a fight.
The suspect told police that Mr Bajaj first stabbed him in his left shoulder before he used his martial arts skills to grip the British man in a choke-hold and continued choking him to death as Mrs Bajaj looked on.
Police Major Ekkachai Siri, of the Phuket Tourist Police, said that the Norwegian has been charged for ‘causing harm resulting in death’.
The police chief said: ‘Mr Bullman was drunk and causing so much noise that hotel security came to warn Mr Bullman twice.
‘Mr Bajaj carried a steak knife into Mr Bullman’s room. They started fighting and Mr Bajaj stabbed Mr Bullman in left shoulder.
‘Bullman has been released on bail by the Phuket Provincial Court. He now must remain in Thailand until the charge against (him) has been heard in court.
