Junta forces have arrested 12 men and boys from Mandalay region’s Sintgaing township, accusing them of murder, residents told RFA on Wednesday.
Around 40 troops rounded up the farmers – aged between 12 and 24 – on Saturday, according to a Sintgaing resident.
“The 12 youths who were arrested were not captured in one place.The troops raided two mango farms,” said the local who didn’t want to be named for security reasons.
“They don’t even go out and sit in the tea shop. They only stay on the mango farms. I heard they are being held at the military base inside the Mandalay Palace. But I also heard they are being interrogated at the Sintgaing police station.”
Residents said that 12 were accused of being involved in the May 15 shooting death of Dr. Tin Cho Cho Ko, who runs the Myitnge Railway Factory Hospital.
RFA has not been able to confirm the claims and the junta has not commented on the incident.
Calls to the Mandalay region junta spokesperson, Thein Htay, went unanswered Wednesday.
Locals named five of the farmers as Myo Ko Ko; Kyaw Swar Win; Wai Pyoe Aung; Min Tun Zaw; and Aye Min Tun.
Family members went to the local police station on Sunday to ask about them but were not given any information.
A total of 23,377 people have been arrested since the Feb. 1, 2021 coup according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.