RANGOON — The Rangoon Division police force confirmed to The Irrawaddy that they have distributed a photo of three suspects in connection with a horrific quadruple murder in Mingaladon Township to other police stations across Burma.
On Saturday, August 20, a retired police lieutenant, his wife and their two sons, aged 13 and 9, were stabbed to death at their house in a Mingaladon suburb—a crime that has shocked the Rangoon public with its brutality.
On Monday, hundreds of people attended a funeral for the family, including teachers from the schools attended by the two children.
The same day, a photo depicting three men leaning on a fence, shared by Facebook user Aung Kyaw, went viral on social media, leading local media outlets to report that the police had identified suspects in the case.
The Irrawaddy discovered that the account owner, Aung Kyaw, is the administrator of Hlaing Township’s 14th ward, but was unable to contact him.
Col Myo Swe of the Rangoon Division police information unit confirmed that the photo in question was taken by the wife of the slain policeman days before the crime. As the investigation is ongoing, the men are wanted for questioning, the police colonel told The Irrawaddy.
Police across Burma have been put on alert to find the suspects.
“We have the photo from the slain family’s house and we are investigating it,” Col Win Bo, the head of Chin State Police Force told The Irrawaddy on Monday.
Photos of the suspects have also been distributed to relevant ward and village tract administrators, he added.
Police are also in possession of a knife believed to have been used in the murder; it is being examined for fingerprints.
On Sunday, a triple murder of a woman and a boy and a girl, aged 10 and 14 respectively, was reported in Shan State’s Taunggyi. Police are investigating the crime.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
