A Mizoram court on Saturday released a Burmese national detained on suspicion of killing a Burmese soldier. He was in detention in a police station in Champhai district in Mizoram state, northeast India for nearly a week.

Mr. Lalchanhlima, a Chin from Burma was released as the police could not find evidence strong enough to link him to the killing of a Lance Corporal of the Burmese Army in Chin state, Burma last month.

"He (Lalchanhlima) was produced before the court but the court released him as the police could not produce evidence strong enough to link him to the murder," said a police officer from Champhai on condition of anonymity.

On October 7, Lalchanhlima was detained in Vaphai village in Champhai district by youth after news spread that a suspected smuggler who killed a Burmese soldier in Leilet in Falam Township in Chin state last month was believed to be hiding in Mizoram state.

Vaphai's youth handed over Lalchanhlima to the police station in Champhai.

Last week, Burmese authorities requested the Mizoram police to deport Lalchanhlima to Burma but the Mizoram police was hesitant. It was contrary to the agreement between the Burmese Army and the Mizoram police that it hands over arrested Burmese smugglers to Burma.

Lieutenant Colonel Htey Win of the Burmese Army on October 4 met Lalthanawia, Superintendent of Police Champhai district in a border village Zokhawthar relating to the killing of the Burmese soldier.

On September 23, a Lance Corporal of the Burmese Army on duty monitoring activities of smugglers was murdered in a jungle near Leilet village in Falam Township in Chin state. The Burmese military authorities suspected the killing was at the behest of smugglers who crossed the Indo-Burma border from Chin state to Mizoram state for safe sanctuary.