The bloodied bodies of two National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters abducted by the military were found dumped on a roadside in Mandalay last week, while a third person who was detained with them is still missing.
San Lwin, 60, and Kyaw Htay Aung, 44, turned up dead near the NLD office in Chanayethazan Township on Friday after junta forces took them from their homes in Maha Aungmyay Township’s Thanyat Mhaw area two days earlier.
Moe Gyi, 50, was also taken from his home on the same street and his condition is unknown.
About five cars and two motorcycles arrived on the street in Thanyat Mhaw’s London ward around 10pm for the raid. “They broke into Moe Gyi’s house first, then two more vehicles arrived and arrested the remaining two,” said a local who requested anonymity.
The families of San Lwin and Kyaw Htay Aung collected their bodies from the morgue at Mandalay General Hospital, the local said, adding that it appeared as though a social services group must have picked up the bodies from the street to bring them to the morgue.
Both bodies had bruises and stab wounds, he added, citing the men’s family members. The families declined to comment when contacted by Myanmar Now.
Photos on social media showed the men’s bodies with their heads placed together lying near a pool of blood.
A source close to the men’s families told Myanmar Now that it is unclear why they were targeted.
“Their families still don’t know why they were even arrested in the first place,” said the source. “They were just regular supporters of the NLD party. It’s still not known what made them take such brutal action.”
Calls seeking comment from the No. 7 Police Station in Maha Aungmye went unanswered.
Kyaw Htay Aung was a former 100 household administrator and the owner of a mobile phone accessories shop. He was cremated at around 2pm on Friday. San Lwin was cremated the following day.
Kyaw Htay Aung left behind two young children and San Lwin left behind a teenage son.
In a similar incident late last month a 50-year-old NLD supporter named Pauk Gyi was abducted by junta forces from his home in Maha Aungmye’s Shan Wine ward at midnight. The next morning his body was found on a traffic island on Strand Road.
The junta has killed at least 1,220 civilians since the February 1 military coup, according to figures from the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners.