Maungsi, 30 years old, stabbed his wife, Aye Na Mee, in the heart with a knife on 29 March at 8pm. He then stabbed his three-year-old son in the left side of his neck and attacked his father-in-law, according to Sai Sai, a Tangyan Township resident.

He said that both the son and father-in-law were taken to Tangyan Hospital. They survived, but both are badly wounded.

Sai Sarng Kin, the Mong Kao Township village head said that neighbours heard the cries of people coming from Maungsi’s house so they went to investigate.

They saw that Maungsi was trying to kill his son and father-in-law and that Aye Na Mee was already dead. They tried to help by throwing stones into the house. When Maungsi saw that his neighbours were coming into the house he killed himself by stabbing himself in the heart.

According to residents drug use has become widespread in Northern Shan State while the ethnic armed organisations and government forces have been fighting each other. Drugs can be bought anywhere.

Many young men are addicted to drugs and drug related violence is a daily occurrence.

Edited by Mark Inkey for BNI