16.02.2026 (12:01 PM) Htate

The body of a man who was found murdered in an old fish pond in the Hlaing Yadana New Town Project, Okpho Myo Paik Road, Hlaing Ward, Mawlamyine Township, has been arrested, according to sources close to the security forces.

On January 18, at around 6:45 a.m., a man’s body was found in an old fish pond in the Hlaing Yadana New Town Project. The man’s body was identified as 42-year-old Ko Soe Moe Htike, a resident of Okpho Myo Paik Road, Hlaing Ward, and he is an LGBT person.

The relevant authorities conducted an investigation into the incident, and the Mawlamyine Township Police Department, A security source close to the security forces said that Lin Soe Thet (b) Aman, 33, from Hlaing Ward, was arrested and interrogated by the security forces on February 13 as a suspect. According to Lin Soe Thet’s statements, he had first met Ko Soe Moe Htike in January 2025, according to a source close to the security forces.

Then, on January 17, Ko Soe Moe Htike called Lin Soe Thet and said that they met near the old fish pond in Hlaing Ward. They talked and argued, and then he slashed Ko Soe Moe Htike’s neck with the knife he had brought.

Although Ko Soe Moe Htike was bleeding from his neck, he fought back, so Lin Soe Thet said that he hit Ko Soe Moe Htike’s head four or five times with a rock near the old fish pond.

He also testified that he then took off a gold ring and a stone ring that Ko Soe Moe Htike was wearing, took two (2) mobile phones, a wallet, and the motorcycle from the motorcycle box, and dragged the body into an old fish tank.