Alleged shaman mobbed to death

Alleged shaman mobbed to death

JAKARTA (JP): A 60-year-old woman in Tambun, Bekasi, was
beaten to death early on Wednesday morning by dozens of neighbors
who suspected she was a shaman and had practiced black magic,
putting their lives at risk, an officer said.

"The locals were concerned as they believed the woman was
practicing black magic at her house in Kampung Pulo Puter,"
acting Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Alex Mandalika said.

After beating the victim, identified as Ayu Tosim, the mob
then dumped her body into the nearby Cibitung River in which her
body was later found, he said.

The incident took place at about 2:30 a.m.

Alex, however, did not disclose whether or not the victim was
alone in the house.

According to the officer, the neighbors' suspicion was
heightened after they found remnants of items around Ayu's house.
The people believed the items were a result of Ayu's black magic
practices.

"The neighbors were already upset as they had learned that
several people in the area had become ill, apparently caused by
Ayu's black magic," said the officer.

Fearing they would become the next victims of Ayu's practices,
the residents -- in a state of panic -- decided to attack the old
woman in the small hours, he said.

According to Alex, Bekasi Police detectives are still
investigating the case.

This kind of deadly attack against a shaman is the first in
the greater Jakarta area, which includes Bekasi and Tangerang, in
the past few years. Previously, the mobbing to death of people
involved in black magic practices took place in other parts of
Java.

The latest incidence of brutal street justice by mobs in the
greater Jakarta area occurred on June 9 when five men, accused of
being robbers, were mobbed to death near the busy Kampung
Rambutan intercity bus terminal in East Jakarta.

Data from state Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, the only
hospital in Jakarta allowed to accept crime-related bodies for
possible postmortem examination, reveal that it has handled more
than 100 victims of mob killings since the beginning of the year.

At least 12 of these bodies, including the five on June 9,
were charred as they were set on fire by the mobs.

Due to the growing number of victims of vigilantism, the
hospital's morgue this year has introduced the category of
"victims of mob violence" for its records. In the past, such
victims were classed as general homicides. (asa)