Brothel guard killed by police in Yogya brawl

Brothel guard killed by police in Yogya brawl

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

One person was shot dead and another was severely injured in a
fracas early on Wednesday morning in the resort city of
Yogyakarta between five police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) members
and a group of people.

The fatal clash took place in the city's Pasar Kembang red
light area.

The dead man was identified as Waludi alias Klowor, a 37-year
old resident of Tegalrejo village. He was shot in the head by a
Brimob member, identified only by his rank and initials, First
Brig. A.S.

Meanwhile, Klowor's friend Dedi Susilo alias Gundul survived
the melee, but sustained gunshot wounds to his face.

"Actually, our men did not intend to shoot them in the head,
but they were involved in a full-contact brawl," said Adj. Sr.
Comr. Sudarsono, chief of the Yogyakarta Provincial Police's
information center.

He defended the shooting of Klowor and Gundul by the Brimob
officers, arguing that they had fired warning shots to disperse
the crowd.

Gundul underwent intensive medical treatment in the Bethesda
hospital after doctors conducted surgery to remove a bullet
lodged behind his nose.

Sudarsono said the five police personnel were being questioned
by local police internal affairs. "Whether or not we will arrest
them depends on the outcome of the questioning," he said.

Separately, Yogyakarta District Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
Sabar Raharjo said the incident was sparked by a
"misunderstanding" between the five policemen and Gundul, which
led to a minor brawl. Local residents managed, however, to
temporarily calm the two sides down.

A few minutes later, though, Gundul along with at least ten
supporters armed with sharp weapons returned to the scene and
suddenly attacked the five policemen, he said.

Sabar said two of the five police officers shot Gundul and
Klowor when they found themselves surrounded.

Yogyakarta's Brimob chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Joko Irianto said
that his five men, who were in plainclothes at the time, were
conducting a routine patrol when they became involved in the
dispute.

"They were not wearing uniforms as they are members of the
Mobile Brigade intelligence section," Joko added.

A resident of Sosrowijayan, who asked for anonymity, said that
Gundul and Klowor were informal security guards in the Pasar
Kembang prostitution complex.

He said the complex was controlled by hoodlums who were linked
to the United Development Party (PPP). "We just didn't expect any
revenge attack by the friends of Gundul and Klowor here," he
said.

Brawls have frequently broken out in Yogyakarta between
supporters of the PPP and their rivals affiliated with the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

However, it was not clear whether Wednesday's clash was linked
to the ongoing political rivalry between the two parties.