The man was identified as U Tun Nu from Paukpin Village in Taungup Township, and he was reportedly beaten by a drunken second corporal from the police station in Kintaung Village as he was coming to the station after being summoned by the station’s in-charge.

“I was summoned by the in-charge of Kintaung Police Station because I have a problem with my business partner in cattle husbandry, U Mhat Gyi. When I came to the police station, there as no in-charge and I had to negotiate my problem with U Mhat Gyi with arbitration by the already-drunk Second Corporal Khin Maung Nyaunt at the station. As we could not solve our problem, the corporal dismissed U Mhat Gyi and beat me mercilessly with a stick in the station,” said U Tun Nu.

U Tun Nu said he fell down into a six-foot drain as he fled the beating of the police corporal. As he was climbing up from the drain, the corporal came and hit his head with a stone from above.

“He beat me really very inhumanly. I had never felt such a beating in my life. I was about to faint on the spot because of blood dripping from the wound on my head, but I pulled myself together and continued to run from the police corporal. When I came outside of the police station, some villagers followed to help me and sent me to the hospital in Rwama Village. My head wound had to be sewn with five stitches at the hospital,” he said.

He added that it was likely that U Mhat Gyi had give money to the police to beat him.

“It seemed that U Mhat Gyi had given money to the police station. I think that’s why the drunken police corporal Khing Maung Nyaunt beat me. If I am guilty of something, he can arrest me and take action against me. I think such bullying and torturing are not in accord with the laws and should not be done as a law enforcer of the nation,” he said.

He said he has already complained about the inhumane beating to the higher authorities of the police.

On 25 March, a youth known as Maung Tin Win, son of U Tin Maung, from Sarprun Village in Tuangup Township had to be hospitalized after he was beaten by Police Officer Soe Moe Aye, the in-charge of the police station based in the village. He accused the youth of mocking the police.

According to the residents of Taungup Township, there are signboards that read, “May We Help the People”, displayed in front of every police station in their township, but most of the police are corrupt and are suppressing especially the poor people and taking money from wealthy people in the area. They said they wish for action and punishment against the corrupt police in their area.