Buthidaung, Arakan State: Burmese Army soldiers of the Ngakyin Tauk camp in Buthidaung Township arrested a religious leader on May 14, on the allegation that his son owes money to the army, said a relative of the victim on condition of anonymity.

The victim was identified as Maulvi Amdad Ullah (55), son of late Mojaffar Chodury ( former village Chairman) of Ngaran Chaung village tract of Taung Bazaar in Buthidaung Township.

A group of soldiers from Nagakyin Tauk army camp in Buthidaung Township went to his house, arrested him and took him to their camp.

A relative of the victim said it is not the concern of the victim that his son owes money to the army as his son lives separately from his father with his family.

However, the army demanded Kyat 800,000 from the arrested for his release. But, he refused to pay so he is still detained in the camp.

A village elder said, “The Nasaka (Burma’s border security force), army, Sarapa (Military Intelligence) and police have been extorting money from the Rohingya villagers by arresting Rohingya people on false and fabricated cases.”