AB News – May 1, 2024
Reports have surfaced detailing the tragic death of a teenage cattle herder whose body was discovered in Maungdaw. Identified as 13-year-old Maung Paw Wei, son of U May San, the young boy met his untimely demise while tending to his family’s livestock.
According to a family member who spoke to AB News, the incident occurred on April 25th, when Maung Paw Wei set out to herd cattle with three friends near the monastery of Old Mungree Village. While in pursuit of two wayward cows that had strayed into the nearby forest, he encountered a group of unidentified assailants who fatally attacked him and disposed of his body.
“He was herding cows with his friends when two of them wandered into the forest. He went after them, and that’s when the tragedy occurred,” recounted the family member.
Upon their return home around 4 p.m., Maung Sani Aung, Maung Pakaw, and Maung Raung Paing, Maung Paw Wei’s companions, were unable to provide any information regarding his whereabouts. Concerned by his prolonged absence, his parents, accompanied by approximately 60 villagers, initiated a search but were unable to locate him by nightfall. Despite a concerted effort involving 120 villagers the following day, their search yielded no results, save for a pair of flip-flops believed to belong to the perpetrator.
It wasn’t until a subsequent search party comprised of 70 villagers from the village of Train ventured into the Old Muslim Tula-Tuki village that Maung Paw Wei’s lifeless body was discovered. Horrifically, his remains bore evidence of a violent struggle, with his left chin fractured, left eye missing, and throat grievously slit.
The villagers, estimating the presence of up to seven assailants, noted footprints leading towards the direction of Old Myawaddy Village, where the perpetrators are believed to have fled. As of this report, they remain at large, prompting heightened concern and vigilance among local communities.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves throughout the region, highlighting the vulnerability of rural communities and the urgent need for enhanced security measures to safeguard innocent lives.