Oct 17, 2008 (DVB), Two young people were seriously injured in Bago on Sunday when a military officer knocked one of them down with his moped and beat the other, accusing him of stealing his key.

Aung Aung Oo, an officer from the military administration department in Bago, knocked down 13-year-old Maung Kyaw Zin Tun near an old bus station on the night of 12 October.

When he stopped to check on Maung Kyaw Zin Tun, a policeman confiscated the key to Aung Aung Oo's moped.

Aung Aung Oo, who was said to be drunk at the time, then accused 23-year-old Maung Thaw Aung, who was standing nearby watching the incident, of stealing his key and beat him unconscious, Maung Thaw Aung told DVB.

"He knocked down a young boy with his motorcycle and they were sorting it out," Maung Thaw Aung said.

"A policeman confiscated his motorcycle key after the accident, but I didn’t know that at the time," he said.

"Then he punched me and accused me of taking his key."

Maung Thaw Aung was sent to a clinic for treatment after the incident.

"My face and head are swollen. Most of my injuries have not healed yet," he said.

"My teeth were broken. I can’t eat rice, I can only drink rice gruel and water."

When he got his key back, Aung Aung Oo shouted that he was from the army and drove away.

A local resident said Aung Aung Oo had become known in the new town for extorting money from local businesses.

"He has been demanding a monthly payment from motorcycle shops – 50,000 before and 80,000 now," the resident said.

Maung Thaw Aung said he reported the incident to police station no. 3 the following morning, but his parents were paid 160,000 kyat to drop the charges.

A local resident said Aung Aung Oo had been given preferential treatment because of his military position.

"Had it been another person involved in that incident, that person would now be detained in the police station and would have to pay about 300,000 kyat," the resident said.

"He wouldn’t be able to take his motorcycle home yet. If it is licensed, he would have to pay another 150,000 to get it back, if not, he would have to pay another 250,000-300,000 and he would also have to pay [the victim's] medical costs," he said.

"But because he was from the military administration department, the matter was sorted out with 160,000. He just behaved as roughly as he liked."

Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew