Military junta troops stationed at King San Pya village, in Kane township, Sagaing Division handcuffed a villager then stabbed him in the neck and threw him into the Chindwin River.

The man, Sin Pauk AKA Chan Thar, 25 years old, was killed on January 31 and his body was found on the riverbank on February 1.

A local said: “The villagers fled when the Military Council troops came that day, but some were taken hostage. Chan Thar was arrested when he went back to feed his animals and he was killed.”

Another villager, who was arrested along with Chan Thar, was pronounced dead at the scene and was also thrown into the river by the junta troops. Fortunately, he was still alive and was rescued by local security forces.

Chan Thar’s mother spent the whole night searching for him. She was recorded on video finding her son’s body the next morning.

She was seen crying next to the body on the riverbank and screaming: “Oh my poor son, I have been searching for you the whole night. How has this happened to you, my son,”

Chan Thar's body was carried from the riverbank to King San Pya village, as his mother requested, by the allied Independence Army (IA) and Chindwin Young Heroes (CDYH). It was cremated by the local People’s Defence Force (PDF).

Fighting between junta military troops and Local PDFs along the Chindwin River has intensified since January 25. Junta troops have been invading villages along the river arresting and killing villagers and setting houses on fire.