Police in Mandalay region’s Wundwin township have been arresting and interrogating locals for more than two weeks, following the murders of a police inspector and the township administrator, residents told RFA.

Acting police station officer Saw Naing Oo was killed on Oct. 9, while township administrator Kyaw Moe Oo was murdered on Oct. 17. The Wundwin Township resistance claimed responsibility for both killings.

Most of those arrested were rounded up between Oct. 10 and Oct 27 and the majority of them are still being detained, said a local speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

“After the death of the acting police station officer, people were arrested on suspicion,” the local said.

“[Junta troops] checked people’s phones and, if they found something related to politics, they were arrested.

“The detainees were not just from the town, but villagers from Wundwin township were among the arrested.

"About 190 people were arrested but 40 were released. There are now around 150 people still in custody.”

The detainees are from Wundwin city and eight villages in the area, the local added.

Wundwin township residents said over 100 soldiers in plain clothes carried out searches arresting locals and patrolling the area.

RFA contacted U Thein Htay, the State Administration Council’s Economic Minister and Mandalay region spokesman for comment but our calls went unanswered.