Police noted an uptick in murder cases in Rakhine State last year, with the majority of recorded cases involving alcohol.
“In 2016 alone, 105 murder cases occurred,” U Sein Lwin, chief of the Rakhine State police force said at an education and awareness event in Sittwe on March 11.
The highest concentration of 2016’s cases occurred in Kyaukpyu township, where 20 murders were recorded, followed by Taungup township with 14 murders and Sittwe township with 13 cases.
Police chief U Sein Lwin said that more of the murders occurred in rural areas than in urban areas. Around 70 percent of the murders were committed by drunk aggressors.
The March 11 event involved members of the state police force, civil society organizations and members of the public, with the aim of boosting cooperation to counter crime.
Translated by Aong Jaeneh
Edited by Laignee Barron for BNI
