A man who was detained when soldiers were unable to find his nephew during a raid in Mandalay Region last week died in junta custody within hours, with his body showing signs of severe injury when his family went to collect it.

Ye Aung, 33, was taken from home to the village of Kyauktada, Madaya Township, on Friday afternoon when troops arrived searching for his 24-year-old nephew, who is a protest organiser in the village.

The family has said they do not want to disclose the name of the protest leader, who has been in hiding for several months. Soldiers also took the protest leader’s 48-year-old father, Myint Aung, who has not been heard from since.

“They both were taken at around 4pm and Ye Aung's family was notified the next morning that he had died,” a Kyauktada villager told Myanmar Now. “I heard he was sent to the interrogation center. The family had to go there to take his body back home.”

Ye Aung’s body showed signs that he had been badly beaten in custody; he had numerous injuries on his head, said the villager. Ye Aung left behind his baby and his wife, who had given birth just a few days before he was detained.

Neither of the two men who were taken took part in the underground movement against the dictatorship, the villager said.

Soldiers destroyed furniture and took computers, mobile phones and money from the house while arresting Ye Aung, locals said.

Myint Naing’s family are reportedly in fear for his life as they heard that he was also sent to the interrogation center.

Locals from Mattaya said that the military has conducted frequent raids on villages within the township since early November and arrested several teachers taking part in the Civil DIsobedience Movement (CDM).

Local resistance forces in the township have launched ambushes against military units.

On Friday a bomb exploded at a security checkpoint on the road leading into the township, killing a military captain, a private, and three police officers, said local news reports and the Madaya People's Defence Force (PDF).

Then on Saturday soldiers arrested a married couple, both teachers, who were taking part in the CDM. The couple were beaten at their home before being taken away to an undisclosed location.

“I think teachers have become their favourite targets lately. We still haven’t heard anything about the teacher couple,” said a Madaya local.

In early October 35-year-old Thein Zaw was detained by junta forces in Madaya and his body was found near his village three days later.