Bengkalis Police Act Swiftly to Extinguish Land Fire, Perpetrator Detained

A plot of land measuring 0.5 hectares on Kelapa Sari Street, Kelapa Sari Hamlet, Pedekik Village, Bengkalis Subdistrict, Bengkalis Regency, was burned due to the actions of a man. The perpetrator, initialled DW (44), was immediately secured by the police.

Bengkalis Police Chief AKBP Fahrian Saleh Siregar stated that suspect DW (44) was arrested after allegedly burning the 0.5-hectare land on Tuesday (7/4). In addition to securing the perpetrator, the police also moved to extinguish the fire at the location.

“The disclosure of this case began with the detection of a hotspot through the Lancang Kuning Dashboard application. The Satreskrim team that went to the location found smoke plumes and immediately conducted checks at the scene,” Fahrian said in his statement on Wednesday (8/4/2026).

Police checked the hotspot location and found a man who then admitted to carrying out the land burning. Officers immediately secured the individual for further examination at Bengkalis Police Headquarters.

From the examination of witnesses, physical evidence, and the suspect’s confession, investigators obtained sufficient conviction to designate DW as a suspect. During the investigation process, police also secured several pieces of evidence in the form of one gas lighter and one bucket allegedly used in the burning activity.

For his actions, the suspect is charged under Article 308 paragraph (1) of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code regarding land burning offences.

Currently, Satreskrim at Bengkalis Police is continuing to complete the case file by coordinating with the Public Prosecutor (JPU), examining expert witnesses, and fulfilling other investigation administration.

Bengkalis Police also urges the entire community not to clear land by burning, considering the impacts not only damage the environment but can also lead to legal proceedings.

“This law enforcement is the National Police’s commitment to firmly address perpetrators of forest and land fires and as a concrete step in preserving the environment in Bengkalis Regency,” he emphasised.