The head of Tin Nyo police station in Mrauk-U Township was assassinated Saturday evening, according to local residents.

Inspector Kyaw Kyaw Hla was shot twice in a restaurant near the Tatmadaw’s Supply and Transport Battalion in the north of Tin Nyo village and he died at Mrauk-U hospital, a villager of Tin Nyo told the DMG.

“We’ve heard that he was shot in a restaurant at about 8 PM.  He was shot in his temple and chest. I heard the sound of two gunshots from my home,” the villager said.

U Tun Tha Sein, Rakhine State Hluttaw representative of Mrauk-U Township said “I heard that the head of Tin Nyo police station was assassinated on Saturday night and died in the hospital,”

Colonel Kyi Lin, head of Rakhine State police, confirmed that a police officer was assassinated and the case is under investigation.

“We are still investigating. It is true that a police officer was assassinated. We cannot say at the moment how it happened,” he said.

The police officer was sent a warning letter enclosed with a bullet by the AA on January 6.

But, AA’s spokesperson Khaing Thukha told the DMG that the police officer might have been assassinated by the Tatmadaw. He said that commanders sent their warning letter to the police officer, but it was just warning for him because they did not want him to suffer a fatality.

“The restaurant he was shot in is within the area that military troops are patrolling. It is not easy to pull off an assassination in that area. The Tatmadaw might do it by using the letter to their advantage,” he said.

The DMG contacted Colonel Win Zaw Oo from the Western Command. He said: “It is just an accusation. We are on the same side. There is no reason to kill each other. It would be an act carried out by the AA because the AA sent the warning letter to him.  Similar cases have occurred involving civilians that were killed after getting warning letters. These incidents have occurred quite frequently,” he said.