Grave of slain ‘Everything will be OK’ protester disturbed

Guarded by police and soldiers, authorities in Myanmar disturbed the grave of a 19-year-old woman who became an icon of the anti-coup protest movement after she was shot dead wearing a T-shirt that read "Everything will be OK", a witness and local media said. 

One witness said the body of Kyal Sin, widely known as Angel, was removed on Friday, examined and returned, before the tomb was re-sealed in Myanmar's second city of Mandalay. The independent Mizzima news service reported the same.

A military spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment. Reuters was unable to contact police for comment.

State media on Friday questioned reports that the protester had been killed by security forces when they opened fire to disperse a demonstration on Wednesday and said the cause of death was being investigated by "rule of law bodies".

Pictures provided to Reuters by a resident who visited the grave on Saturday showed cement that was still drying as well as discarded rubber gloves, boots, surgical gowns. One block appeared to be stained with blood.

A witness who lives near the graveyard said he had seen the grave opened using power tools on Friday evening by a team of at least 30 people that arrived with four cars and two police trucks as well as two trucks of soldiers for security.

"They pulled out the coffin and removed the body and placed it on a bench. They even placed a brick under the head," said the witness, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals.

"Those who seemed to be doctors wearing the protective cover did something to the body, I think they were touching the head. They took a small piece from the body and showed it to each other," he said.

Reuters was unable to contact Kyal Sin's family. Photographs of her body on Wednesday showed a bloody head wound.

Kyal Sin was among at least 38 people killed on Wednesday, the bloodiest day so far in attempts by security forces to stop protests against the Feb. 1 coup that has prompted daily demonstrations for over a month.

The army says it has been restrained in the use of force, but that it will not allow protests to threaten stability.

Protesters have rejected army's election fraud claims and its promise of new elections.