Junta soldiers and police who have been stationed in the vicinity of the Mahamuni Buddha image in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw arrested a resident of Thayettapin village and two others at around noon on Monday, according to family members.

The Thayettapin villager has been identified as U Maung Saw Thar, 53, another Thayettapin villager told DMG. The two other detainees were identified only as men.

“They were arrested at a restaurant in front of the Mahamuni Buddha image. One of the three detainees is from Thayettapin village, but I don’t know two others. The trio were arrested by the junta soldiers and police deployed in the compound of the Mahamuni Buddha image, on suspicion of having ties to the Arakan Army,” the villager added.

U Maung Saw Thar earns a living as a motorbike taxi driver and he was arrested after he transported two passengers to the Mahamuni Buddha image, his wife Daw Ma Aye Khin told DMG.

“My husband was arrested along with two others. They were reportedly arrested by the junta soldiers and police deployed in the compound of the Mahamuni Buddha image. My husband makes a living as a motorbike taxi driver and is an innocent man. I am worried about his safety because he is an old man,” she said.

Myanmar military and police personnel have been stationed on the Mahamuni Buddha image for more than three years.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura regarding the Myanmar military’s detention of the three men.

The military also detained Ko Zaw Win aka Ludu Zaw Win, U Kyaw Than Maung and Ko Zaw Moe Htet in Kyauktaw on June 21 and charged the trio with incitement under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code.

The Arakan Army has detained multiple junta soldiers and police in Arakan State in recent weeks. In response, the Myanmar military arrested dozens of civilians in Arakan State on suspicion of having links with the Arakan Army.