A 20-year-old student of Sittwe University in Arakan State was raped and killed by unknown assailants, said Ko Thu Ra, a third-year student from the university.

"The victim was Ma Pru Pru, (20), a final year student studying accounting at Sittwe University. Police said that she was murdered after being raped. Some rickshaw pullers were arrested by police in connection with the case."

The incident took place on 14 March, after the victim went missing from her home.

"Her body was recovered with many injuries by police on the Kaladan River near Inn Puak Wa restaurant in Sittwe, in the early morning on 15 March," the source said.

Ma Pru Pru was from Vasali Village in Maungdaw Township on the western Burma border. Her parents are U Kyaw Thein and Ma Nyunt Sein.

Despite the arrest of some rickshaw pullers in Sittwe in connection with the case, it is believed the culprits are still at large.

A funeral for Ma Pru Pru will be held in the Sittwe graveyard today.

According to the source, many additional police forces have been deployed in Sittwe University and other important places in the city in order to deal with any potential unrest related to the anger over Ma Pru Pru's murder.