Two junta soldiers, who killed Taungup businessman U San Thein Aung and took away his belongings includinghis motorcycle and cell phone, werecaught red-handed by the locals.

Later they handed over the soldiers to the police, but the army took away them bythreatening the police personnel.

On 26 September, a soldier from LIB 346 named Kaung Myat Aung was detained by some residents as he came to sell themotorcycle of San Thein Aung at ashop for Kyats 11,00,000 in the afternoon hours.

Family membersof the victim identified the soldiers as the  killer and hence the villagers caught him.

But as soon as the news spread, a military officer arrived at the police station and forced them torelease the soldier. Finally he took awaythe soldier with him,  even though he was arrested by the police.

“The senior army officer had a lot of arguments with the police officers on duty. Later the officer removed the soldier’s handcuff andtook him to the army camp,” he asserted.

On the night of  30  July,  San Thein Aung was brutally killednear the checkpoint adjacentto  Taungup university, as he was returning home from a chicken farm. The victim used to own an egg firm in Taungup locality of Rakhine State alongwith agricultural lands.

On 2 August, a soldier from Taungup based  LIB 346 named Win Tun Lwin was arrested by the police as he wascaught with the stolen cell phone.He was also made free by the army officers.

The junta authorities have not informed the family members of  San Thein Aung, what actions they havetaken against the accused soldiers.

A young social activist from Taungup questioned, if a soldier commits a crime, should not he too be punishedunder the law ?  “They had brutallykilled an honest person. If they committed the crime, they must be punished,” he added.