June 16, 2009 (DVB), A 10-year-old girl from central Burma's Mandalay division has reportedly been raped and murdered after disappearing following an evening tuition class, sources close to her family say.

Police in Mandalay's Maha Aung Myay township, where the incident happened, have detained several suspects.

The girl, whose name is being withheld, was a fifth grade student from State High School 24 in Maha Aung Myay township. Locals said she went missing on evening of June 12 when following an after-school tuition class.

"She never came back from the tuition so her parents and the authorities from the ward hired a car and announced her missing through loudspeakers," the resident said.

He said the family heard the next morning that her body, wrapped in a linen bag, was seen being dumped in neighbouring Pattaryat 416 ward off a trishaw.

"They found her naked body there, she appeared to be raped and her head, put in a pillow case, was also smashed," he said.

He said the girl's funeral was held on Sunday, a day after her body was found.

The news spread throughout the town and several suspects were being detained in the Ward Peace and Development Council office.

Three suspects were later handed to Police Station 7 in the township.

An official on duty at the police station said the suspects were under interrogation and police were waiting on medical confirmation from hospital of the rape.

"We still haven't got the hospital report yet, so we can't absolutely tell about the rape at the moment," said the official.

Meanwhile, town residents said they are now worried for safety of their children wandering around in the neighbourhood.

Reporting by Naw Say Phaw