Brawl over frying pan sends three inmates to hospital

Brawl over frying pan sends three inmates to hospital

TANGERANG (JP): Three inmates were rushed to the hospital
after being injured in a brawl over a frying pan at the men's
penitentiary on Jl. Veteran in Tangerang, on Tuesday morning.

The two inmates who allegedly triggered the incident were
taken in for questioning by the police.

Tangerang Police chief Insp. Sumanto identified the injured as
TD Setiawan, alias Iwan, 25, who was sentenced to two years in
prison for embezzlement, Sardini, 36, a drug convict, and Jimmy,
who is serving a 41-month sentence for robbery.

Sumanto said the two suspects detained in the brawl
were Tasbullah and Sukarman, both of whom are serving eight
months for assault. The two were scheduled to be released on Aug.
24, but the officer said they were now likely to remain behind
bars because of the brawl.

"Tasbullah and Sukarman will be tried again, charged with
violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code on assault. We hope
this makes other inmates think twice before starting brawls in
the penitentiary," Sumanto told The Jakarta Post.

Quoting statements from several guards and inmates, Sumanto
said the brawl began at about 8 a.m. It began when Tasbullah and
Sukarman, who are housed in Cell Block F, attempted to take a
small frying pan belonging to Iwan, who is housed in Cell Block
A.

"Since Iwan wanted to use the pan, he tried to resist.
Tasbullah and Karman became angry and beat up Iwan, who would not
give up," Sumanto said.

"Several guards intervened and took Iwan, who suffered stab
wounds above his eyes, to the penitentiary doctor," he said.

He said that while Iwan was being treated, rumors began to
spread through Block A that Iwan had been stabbed in the eye
after being mobbed by inmates from Block F, most of whom come
from North Jakarta. The rumors sparked the anger of the 146
inmates in the block, most of whom are from West Jakarta.

The inmates, armed with stones, clubs and shards of glass,
then stormed Block F.

Sardini and Jimmy, both of whom are housed in Block D, were
wounded when they attempted to intervene in the brawl. It is
unclear who attacked Sardini, who received injuries to his head,
mouth, left arm and stomach, and Jimmy, who was stabbed in the
back.

Sumanto said there was a high wall separating Block A from
Blocks D, E and F, which are in the same row. As the inmates from
Block A were about to break through the fence, several police
officers arrived.

The officers fired several warning shots after being pelted by
stones. More police officers were deployed to the scene -- about
100 officers in total arrived at the penitentiary, and by 9 a.m.
they had managed to take control of the situation. The officers
seized six sharp homemade weapons, dozens of clubs and numerous
stones used during the brawl.

"We will place 10 police officers at the penitentiary for at
least two days to prevent any more brawls," Sumanto said.

The warden of the penitentiary, Paulus Sugeng, was on leave
and could not be reached for comment, while penitentiary officer
Raja Grand, who handed over the suspects to the police, refused
to answer questions. (01)