A villager was allegedly tortured to death by troops from the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) militia, which is aligned with the Myanmar military, in Ma Gyi Seik village, Nyaungshwe Township, southern Shan State, according to local sources.

Ko Aung Myo Win, 42, was reportedly detained by PNO troops late at night on September 2 while traveling to Painne Kone village. His family was asked to pay 10 million kyat (US$2,380) for his release.

A local source said the family made an initial payment of 1 million kyat but found him severely wounded when they went to retrieve him.

“His thighs were stabbed, his heel tendons cut. His entire body was wounded. The motorcycle that brought him back was soaked in blood. He died shortly after reaching the hospital,” the source said.

Ko Aung Myo Win is survived by his wife and two children. Locals said the killing has sparked fears of ethnic tension in the Inle Lake area.

“The villagers and the family have filed a complaint. If it is left unresolved, similar incidents could follow. Even if he was guilty, they should not have tortured him to death. Since he was Intha, it could lead to an ethnic problem,” a resident told SHAN.

Residents added that PNO troops regularly patrol Ma Gyi Seik village at night, arresting anyone found outside after dark, and have been collecting money and food from villages where they are stationed.

In a separate incident on September 5, a group posing as PNO militia members allegedly stopped a family returning from a pilgrimage to Shwe Phone Pwint Pagoda in Taunggyi, beat the driver, and threatened him with a knife.