57 stalls razed amid vice charge

TANGERANG (JP): Local public order officers bulldozed at least 57 sidewalk stalls in Kosambi district Wednesday on grounds they fronted for prostitution practices.

Irate owners of the kiosks in Tahang and Dadap subdistricts tried to prevent the officers, who were accompanied by Moslem preachers and dozens of housewives, from carrying out the action. The argument descended into stone throwing between the groups.

A local resident sustained a head injury in the fray.

Kosambi district head Hermansyah, who led the demolition operation, repeatedly asked the stall owners to be calm, but his call went unheeded.

Police officers and soldiers finally managed to mediate between the two camps.

As soon as the stone pelting subsided, bulldozers moved in to demolish the stalls and their contents.

Only a handful of prostitutes were seen during the demolition, probably because their panderers learned of the demolition plan and evacuated them.

"Actually, hundreds of prostitutes operate here on regular days," said a public order officer who asked not to be named.

The demolition led to more disappointment for prospective customers, who could not find the women at their usual haunt on Jl. Kramat in Teluk Naga. (41/jun)