Eight women including the headmaster of a private high school, DNNA, were arrested by the military junta in Taunggyi, Southern Shan State.

On 26 March 2022 during night time, around 50 Myanmar junta soldiers raided a private high school called DNNA located in the corner of Kwar Nyo Street and Tha Zin Street, Pyi Taw Tar Quarter, Taunggyi. The school headmaster Daw Nwe Nwe Aye and her nieces were taken away.

According to the locals in Taunggyi, the arrest was triggered by an accusation from a Telegram account channel called Han Nyein Oo which speculated that the headmaster of DNNA private school and other seven women are supporting People Defense Force (PDF).

“It was written on one Telegram channel called Han Nyein Oo that the headmaster of DNNA private school is helping PDF; therefore, the junta came and made the arrest. Police and military soldiers came and smashed the doors to make the arrest. They could not find anyone, so they searched the areas from one street to another,” a man who lives in Taunggyi told SHAN.

On 25 March 2022 around late evening, it was reported on Han Nyein Oo Telegram channel that the headmaster’s daughter and her nieces are collecting donations and taking supporting roles for PDF. After that soldiers and police raided a house in the area to look for them.

However, no one was in the house and no arrest was made. The authorities were searching for them from house to house in the neighborhood and other quarters. On 26 March 2022 around 2 A.M, the private school headmaster Daw Nwe Nwe Aye and seven other women were arrested at one of their houses in Chan Myae Quarter where they were hiding.

“There was an informant providing the location of the headmaster where they are hiding and the eight women including the headmaster were captured around 2 A.M,” a man who has a closed relationship with DNNA private school told SHAN.

The locals said that a teacher who is teaching at DNNA was also detained before the school headmaster’s arrest.

According to a report from the police, around 40 people in Taunggyi including some under 18 years old are being detained at Taunggyi’s No. 1 police station, and some of them are being transferred to the Taung Lay Lone prison.