Sep 11, 2008 (DVB), A Myingyan college student was attacked and killed last night by a mob of about 20 people armed with sticks and swords, according to students at Myingyan college.

Mahn Bhu Khee, 19, from Chin state’s Kanpatlat township, was a second-year Zoology student in Myingyan, Mandalay division.

Locals said the attack took place at around 10.30pm yesterday while he was on his way back from a funfair at Thone Su pagoda by motorbike.

The attack took place about 50 yards away from township police station (1).

An officer on duty at Myingyan police station said Mahn Bhu Khee's attackers were also on motorbikes.

"The attack took place near the police station and it involved people on motorbikes , he was alone when he was attacked," the officer said.

The officer said about 15 people had been arrested so far in connection with the murder.

Officials at Myingyan hospital said the autopsy showed Mahn Bhu Khee died from a stab wound from a knife sharpener.

"He died on the spot after he was stabbed. A post mortem was carried out this morning but I don’t know the exact details as it was done by the hospital chief," an official said.

"The hospital chief is attending the provincial Peace and Development Council meeting at the moment."

Angry students descended on the police station this morning and were told that the police were still in the process of hunting down the perpetrators.

The students speculated that Swan Arr Shin members were responsible for the attack, as they had been told by township police chief Colonel Htun Sint during riot training three days ago that the authorities would take responsibility for the consequences of harsh crackdowns on rioters.

A report earlier this week from a source close to Myingyan township Peace and Development Council office said that local authorities had been given three-step instructions for dealing with protestors , first to try to negotiate with them, then to shoot at their legs and finally to shoot to kill.

A Myingyan resident said it would have been difficult for anyone else to carry out such an attack given the heightened security presence in the township.

"Htun Sint told them during his speech that they had permission to shoot at demonstrators and told them to be sure to treat them harshly," he said.

"Everyone thinks it’s them who committed the murder because no one else would do it at a time like this when the security is extremely tight with a police presence all over the place."

Myingyan college students are now negotiating with the authorities to collect their schoolmate’s body so they can bury it tomorrow.

Officials at Myingyan college and the victim’s family could not be reached for comment on the case.

Reporting by Aye Nai