Arakan police have arrested 6 suspects for the murder of 10 Muslim pilgrims last year. The arrestees are all from Taungup, located in southern Arakan state. News of the arrests was confirmed by U Tin Thein Aung, a Taungup politician.
“I come to know about the arrest of 6 persons on Thursday morning. But they were actually arrested by the midnight of Wednesday.”
They have been identified as U Thein Maung (alias Tun Naing), Ko Wing (alias Maung Pu), Pauk Sin (alias Tun Myint), Ko Thein Shwe Maung, U Tun Kyaw and U Tun Win.
The Taungup based politician did not cite the reasons for the arrests but assumed that they are suspects of in the murder case on 2 June 2012.
Ten Muslim pilgrims in Taungup were dragged out from a bus by a furious mob that beat, killed and lit their bodies on fire. After, the corpses were allegedly urinated on. The horrific incident followed the brutal rape of a Buddhist woman by 3 Muslims in Rambre Township in Taungup locality. However no-one on the bus had any relation to the rapist. The bus was travelling to mainland Burma from Thandwe.
Security in Taungup has tightened following the arrests. Additional security forces have been deployed at key locations around the locality but at the time of press the situation remains peaceful.
