7 ojek drivers named as suspects

TANGERANG: Seven of 19 ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers who were arrested on Sunday night for attacking a police detective at a house where he was hiding at Vila Ilhami housing complex in Curug district, Tangerang, were named suspects on Monday.

Tangerang Police chief of detectives Insp. Kustanto said on Monday that the assault that injured the police detective and damaged the house, including a parked car belonging to a resident identified as Sigit, was provoked by Jukil, a resident in Kelapa II housing estate, Curug.

Dozens of ojek drivers chased police detective Chief Brig. Sugiri, who ran to and hid at the house at Block C No 116 after he had shot a public transportation broker identified as Edy, 24, a resident of Kelapa II, at the intersection adjacent to Islamic Center, Karawaci, on Sunday afternoon.

The motive for the shooting was not clear, as Sugiri was still being questioned at Tangerang Police Headquarters as of Monday.

But according to Jaya, an ojek driver who witnessed the shooting, Edy, who was waiting for public minivan passengers at the intersection, was hit by a blue Suzuki Katana car driven by a police detective.

"Edy was angry, shouting at the man while pointing at the driver. But the driver pulled a gun and aimed it at Edy's head, saying 'I'm a policeman'," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said a few seconds later he was surprised by a gunshot sound and saw Edy falling with blood dripping from his head, adding that the Katana driver then tried to escape. But the ojek drivers chased after him. -- JP