Daily US Times: Myanmar has asked its neighbor India to return several police officers who crossed the border seeking refuge in India after refusing to carry out orders.

Indian officials said the police officers and their families had crossed the border in recent days.

Myanmar authorities asked for their return in a letter “in order to uphold friendly relations”.

Since the Myanmar military staged a coup last month, the country has been gripped by mass protests and strikes.

Security forces have taken a hard line against the protesters and demonstrations and at least 55 deaths have been reported.

On Saturday, protesters continued to defy the military, gathering across Myanmar. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades in the largest city, Yangon, to disperse crowds, reports said.

There were no reports yet of fresh casualties.

Deputy Commissioner Maria CT Zuali, a senior official in Champhai district in the Indian state of Mizoram, told Reuters that she had received a letter from her counterpart in Myanmar’s Falam district requesting the return of the police officers who fled Myanmar.

According to the letter, Myanmar had information about eight police officers who had crossed into India.

The letter said: “In order to uphold friendly relations between the two neighbor countries, you are kindly requested to detain eight Myanmar police personnel who had arrived to Indian territories and hand-over to Myanmar.”

Ms Zuali said she was awaiting directions from India’s home affairs ministry in Delhi.

You may read: Capitol attack: Former Trump state department aide charged