Bekasi couple stripped, paraded

JAKARTA (JP): A 40-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were stripped and paraded around their neighborhood in Jatiasih, Bekasi, on Monday evening.

Bekasi Police chief Lt. Col. Sutarman was quoted by several dailies as saying on Tuesday that he deplored the sort of street justice carried out by some 50 local residents.

The mob stormed the home of the woman, identified as Bel, shortly after the man's wife, Mar, 37, followed her husband Urh to Bel's home, and then told local residents her husband was having an affair with the woman.

The mob broke into the house and stripped the two before parading them through the neighborhood. Some of the residents kicked and punched Urh, while others groped Bel.

Sutarman said the couple was not engaged in any illicit behavior when the mob broke into Bel's home.

However, the officer said it was difficult for his men to identify those residents involved in the case.

"The number was quite large. But we're still investigating the incident," he said.

While being questioned by police, Urh and Bel said they had married without the knowledge of Mar and had one child.

After being questioned at the local police station, Urh and Bel were released.

There was no word on whether Mar, who has three children by Urh, would be questioned. (bsr)