Three young men who were injured after getting into a fight with soldiers during the Thingyan water festival last week have filed a lawsuit at Mrauk-U police station in Arakan State.

Speaking to DVB yesterday, an officer from the police station said, “The men came to file a case with us yesterday [18 April]. We have registered the allegations. As the accused are soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion 540, we need to transfer the case to the military. The accusers are also from military families. After we question them, they will be sent to the military to lodge their complaint.”

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According to the police officer, the three youths say that after joining the festivities in Mrauk-U on 15 April, they were returning to their village by car when they were pulled over at a checkpoint in front of LIB 540 barracks. A confrontation escalated into a fight and the three young men were beaten up.

A young woman was also injured in the melee, he said.