Security tightened in Buthidaung prison

Buthidaung, Arakan State: Security has been tightened in Buthidaung prison by the Burmese Army as alleging some prisoners escaped from prison yesterday night, said an official source.

Some rocks and stones were thrown at the prisoner’s sheds number 4 and 5 yesterday at about 8:40 pm, where there are mostly political prisoners from 88 uprising groups. The prison authorities informed the military command office of Buthidaung as the political prisoners were planning to escape before the forthcoming 88 uprising anniversary with the help of outside democracy activists group, the official said.

The prison authorities moved prisoners from sheds numbers 4 and 5 to other places where the prisoners were kept in fetters and then sent to a dark room, the official added.

The military command office sent troops to the prison after receiving information from the prison and arranged for tight security outside where no one is being allowed to pass at night and early morning of today. At about 7:00 am, the troops withdrew, said an aide of the army from Buthidaung.

“It is just a plan to keep the political prisoners more secure in the prison because of the forthcoming 88 uprising anniversary,” said a local from Buthidaung.

“How did people throw rocks and stones at the sheds from outside with so many guards in the prison and how did the prisoners escape from prison,” he asked.