Maung Tun Nyein was shot and injured by a security police on April 7, 2019

‘Police didn’t shoot directly at them, but a bullet deflected off of a stone [and hit 22-year-old Maung Tun Nyein],’ a GAD officer said.

A jade picker was wounded after security police shot into a crowd at a mine in Lon Khin village tract in Kachin State’s Hpakant Township in the late afternoon on Sunday.

Police officers fired their guns following an argument with jade pickers, of whom there were reportedly around 2,000. While some locals said that jade pickers became aggressive with the police, KNG could not confirm these allegations at the time of reporting.

Maung Tun Nyein, age 22, was taken to Hpakant hospital for treatment after he was hit by a bullet in his upper arm, near his shoulder joint.

“The police opened fire because jade pickers were trying to enter the jade block during a prohibited time. Jade pickers and two policemen were arguing with each other. After that, police opened fire as a warning shot,” U Kyaw Swar Aung, an officer in the General Administration Department for Hpakant, told KNG. “Police didn’t shoot directly at them, but a bullet deflected off of a stone,” he explained, regarding the shot that injured Maung Tun Nyein.

The mine is located in the block operated by Jade Power, near Maw Sesar Thetkel Kon village.