The driver is identified as Ko San Shwe, 31, and a resident of Paikthe Village in Kyauktaw main town.

“Ko San Shwe was attacked by a group of Muslim villagers from Oukpaikthe Village around 6 pm on 15 July when he came back driving near the village after transporting his passenger to Pharapaung Village. He was first attacked by the slingshots and he fell down with his cycle. Then nearly 20 people armed with rods and machetes followed to kill him and he had to run for his life leaving his cycle. An arrow shot by the attackers also hit his leg. He had narrowly escaped from the attack after another Htawlargi-Taxi came up the road. The attackers stopped chasing him and ran back to their village“, said U Saw Nyein, a lawmaker of the state parliament from Kyauktaw.

He was said to have escaped to Pharapaung Village where villagers sent him to the public hospital in Kyauktaw.

“He is now undergoing medical treatment in the hospital and is still in pain sustained by slingshots and arrows, but his injuries are not so serious. A case is already filed in the police station and his cycle has been returned”, said U Saw Nyein.

He however said the police have not taken any action against the attackers yet.

U Saw Nyein also said the Bengali villagers are perpetuating the provocative attacks one after another while the Arakanese people wish to live peacefully and those attacks may lead to a bigger problem in the area.

“On 7 and 8 July, they tried to launch arson attacks in Kyauktaw. On 9 July, some of them were arrested as they tried again to burn down the Pyitawthar Market. But, we Arakanese people are still quiet and tolerating their attacks. If they continue such attacks on our peoples, a big problem may spark soon”, he said.