At least ten local people have been apprehended in connection with the devastating bomb blast, which killed 1 and injured 15, that took place at the Zwe Htet gold shop situated in the bustling main market of Lashio Township, located in northern Shan State.
On July 15th, the day of the explosion, two men were arrested. Following these initial arrests, a majority of the subsequent individuals detained were local youths and participants of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
“Most of the arrested are from No.9 Ward. We heard some CDM teachers were arrested too. The youths arrested on the bombing day are Shan ethnics. Two Ta'ang youths were among the subsequent arrests. Others were apprehended at the market near the station. Many people were detained during the follow-up investigation of the bombing attack”, a local woman said.
On July 15th, at approximately 7:45 AM, as the staff of Zwe Htet gold shop was getting ready to open for the day, a bomb exploded when they opened the main door. Tragically, one person lost their life, and 15 others were injured, among whom were 12 shop employees.
Among the injured, there were six male and six female shop employees, along with three individuals who were in the vicinity of the explosion.
The force of the explosion caused damage to two motorcycles and three stalls that were open close to the gold shop.
"Zwe Htet gold shop has two stalls facing each other across the road. The explosion damaged both stalls. We heard only one explosion. Soldiers and ambulances came quickly, and the roads were closed after the incident”, a local said.
In the aftermath of the bombing, the Military Council carried out arrests of residents from Wards No. 9 and 10. Among those detained, at least one individual is a female education staff member who participated in CDM, and they have also apprehended a man named Aik Kham, who resides in No. 9 Ward.
Security in Lashio has been significantly heightened since the day of the blast, with soldiers conducting extensive checks on passers-by. A Ta'ang ethnic youth was arrested during these rigorous checks, locals said.
There are rumors circulating that the bombed Zwe Htet gold shop is owned by a high-ranking official of the Military Council, but as of now, NMG could not independently verify this information.
In recent months, bomb blasts in Lashio have sadly become somewhat common. There were two explosions at the Fully Light Hotel, one at the Golden Hill Hotel, and another at the Athawka fuel station in June.
