Manhunt underway for escaped child rape suspect in Pauktaw

By Admin 17 Mar 2026

DMG Newsroom

17 March 2026, Pauktaw

A manhunt is underway for a man accused of raping an 8-year-old girl in Pauktaw Township, an area under the control of the Arakha Army (AA) in Arakan State. Residents report that the suspect remains at large after escaping from custody.

The incident occurred on March 3 near Phadugyi Village. Locals identified the suspect as 40-year-old Tun Aung Chay.

"The child had gone to a plantation with her aunt but was returning home alone. Tun Aung Chay reportedly approached her under the pretext of asking for directions to Phaduchay Village and forcibly raped her midway," a source familiar with the incident told DMG.

The suspect was initially arrested by relevant authorities on March 4 but subsequently escaped. Following the escape, Arakan Army authorities issued an arrest warrant on March 5 in the village and surrounding areas.

"The rape suspect is wanted," the notice stated, adding, "If found, please immediately inform the nearest field station or administrative body."

The victim has received medical treatment, and her family has notified the relevant authorities. However, women’s rights organizations noted that the family has been reluctant to accept outside support due to social stigma.

"Our group offered assistance, but the family declined, citing concerns over their dignity. They even sought hospital treatment in secret," said a women's rights advocate in Pauktaw Township.

The Department of Law Enforcement and Public Security (DLEPS) and local administrative teams are currently searching for the fugitive.

The recent incident in Pauktaw underscores a troubling trend of sexual violence against minors across Arakan State over the past two years.

In June 2024, an attempted rape of a 20-year-old woman by a 24-year-old local man was reported in Lunlonepike Village, Myebon Township. A month later, on July 28, 2024, a Grade 4 student from Hinkharaw Village in Pauktaw was raped by a monk; in that instance, the perpetrator was successfully arrested and prosecuted by the DLEPS.

The violence continued into 2025, with a 9-year-old girl raped and murdered in Minbya’s Phapyo Village on May 6. Later that year, in November, a 16-year-old girl from Daletkaing Village in Paletwa Township was also victimized.

Most recently, on January 17, 2026, a 50-year-old man allegedly raped a 6-year-old girl in Aung Thukha Village, located in southern Maungdaw Township.

Community members and rights activists point to these recurring cases as evidence of an urgent need for the Arakha Army’s judicial department to demonstrate more transparent and effective sentencing to deter future crimes.

"We are seeing frequent cases of child rape and even murder in Arakan State. While the AA is often able to arrest suspects, there is a lack of public information regarding effective judicial proceedings or sentencing," said a resident from Mrauk-U.