Five suspects arrested in murder of Dr. Phe Nyan, astrologer to successive military regimes, following intense military and police lockdown and search

Ayeyarwaddy Times July 14 The interim government has announced the arrest of five individuals suspected of committing the murder of Dr. Phe Nyan (alias U Panyawamsa), a prominent astrologer who was revered as a key advisor to successive military regimes, including former military dictator Than Shwe, U Thein Sein, and current military leader and interim president Min Aung Hlaing. Dr. Phe Nyan, aged 75 and a monk for 15 years, was stabbed to death inside the monastery where he was residing as a monk in the Sandakumyee Resort Monastery, Ward 2, Hmawbi Township, Yangon Region. Due to his status as a primary astrologer for successive military leaders, following his murder, the military council troops, CID criminal police force, and administrative bodies launched a joint, intensive security operation within Hmawbi Township, blocking roads and conducting thorough searches and investigations until the perpetrators were apprehended. Two masons within the monastery compound, who went to deliver alms to the monk around 11:30 AM on July 2, found the doors closed and upon entering to check, discovered the monk lying face down in a pool of blood with stab wounds at the doorway between his bedroom and study. Forensic examination at Hmawbi General Hospital confirmed that the monk died from a stab wound to his right flank, which penetrated his liver. Current investigations indicate that the incident was not a politically motivated assassination, but rather a "robbery-homicide" driven by greed to steal money and valuable possessions from the monk, and two of the monk's mobile phones were also missing. Consequently, a case was filed under Section 302/394 of the Penal Code (robbery-homicide) at the Hmawbi Myoma Police Station. Following investigations, five individuals, aged between 19 and 28, namely Thet Paing Htun (alias Paing Lay), Soe Yarzar (alias Soe Win Kyaw), Wai Yan Naing (alias Wai Yan), Toe Win Kyaw (alias Toe Wai Kyaw), and Soe Htet (alias AK-T), were arrested on July 11 and 12, according to reports in the interim government's propaganda newspapers. Caption: Suspects arrested.