Burmese Special Branch Police, known locally as SB, handcuffed a primary school teacher in the hospital, who was receiving treatment after being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, according to a local source.

The teacher, Yaw Htung, from No. 1 primary school in Manje (Mansi in Burmese) Township, Manmaw (Bhamo in Burmese) District in Burma’s northern Kachin State, seriously injured his head and legs at 5:00 p.m. on February 25. He was later handcuffed by SB at the hospital, the source said.

Twenty-four year-old, Awng Myo Kyaw, from Shwego Township, who was working as an informer for the SB was killed in the accident, which took place in front of the Manje Hospital.

“Awng Myo Kyaw was riding on the back of his friend’s motorcycle when they smashed into Yaw Htung’s motorcycle,” said the local people.

The source said Yaw Htung’s skull was injured and he needed 16 stitches in his thigh during the incident.

Awng Myo Kyaw died on the spot.

“The driver disappeared after the accident, so we don’t know who is wrong or right,” said the source.

No one knows why SB handcuffed Yaw Htung on February 27 while he was still unconscious in the hospital. However, locals suspect it was because of the death of their informer, said the source.

Tensions in the area have increased between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Burmese troops after the KIA rejected the junta’s Border Guard Force proposal last year.

More Burmese troops and heavy weapons have been deployed in Kachin State near KIA military camps since last year, increasing the possibility of civil war.

A joint-force of KIA soldiers and the Civilian Defense Force, Battalion No.27 clashed with Burmese troops from Infantry Battalion (IB) No. 15 in Pungling village, Man Win Township in Manmaw district, on February 7th, when Burmese troops tried to enter the KIA’s controlled area.

The fighting left eight Burmese soldiers injured. Battalion Commander Lt-Col Yin Htwe died after being treated at Nam Hkam Public Hospital, near the Chinese border.

After the incident Burmese troops under the Northern Regional Command- Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 437, based in N’mawk (Momauk), LIB No. 319, based in Manje, the Mohnyin-based IB No. 15 and Myitkyina based IB No. 21, have retreated from the KIA’s  area.

However, on February 22, six tanks from Northern Regional Command (Ma-Pa-Kha), based in Myitkyina, were deployed near the KIA headquarters in Laiza Township.