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)