Taungup: U Than Maung, a member of the Taungup Township National League for Democracy (NLD) in Arakan State, was tortured by a law enforcement agency, after he was arrested on 28 April midnight, said a colleague on condition of anonymity.

A group of officers entered U Than Maung's house on the pretext of checking the visitor’s list without his permission. An irate U Than Maung complained at the intrusion.

"A group of law enforcement officers, including those from the Burmese Army and police, arrested him from his house in Taungup at midnight on 28 April. During the arrest the officers tortured him severely. This was done  in front of U Taung Maung's family members," the colleague said.

U Than Maung is a member of the NLD township committee and is also working voluntarily for the ILO in the township.

"I think the authorities suspected he was preparing for anti-government activities in Taungup on May Day. So they raided his house and arrested him to foil his plan - there is no other reason for his arrest," he added.

After arrest, U Than Maung was taken to an unknown location in Taungup and family members are yet to hear about him.

A man from Taungup confirmed to Narinjara over the telephone that U Than Maung had been arrested and said there was no information yet on whether he had been released.

A police constable at the Taungup police station said that police arrested U Than Maung for insulting them when they were checking the visitor’s list at his house. He will be charged with obstructing government officials.

In Taungup Township, many NLD members, including President U Kyaw Khaing, Vice-President U Khin Hla, and General Secretary Ko Min Aung, were sentenced to long prison terms in 2007 and sent to remote prisons across Burma. U Than Maung is the first NLD member to be arrested in the township this year.