Bullying suspected in Brimob deaths

La Remmy and Eric W., The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar has ordered top officers to lead the investigation into allegations of violence perpetrated against four new recruits to the Central Sulawesi Police's Mobile Brigade unit, who died following an initiation exercise on Tuesday.

Head of the National Police's Internal Affairs Unit Insp. Gen. Timbul Silaen and National Police Mobile Brigade Unit chief Insp. Gen. SY Wenas arrived here on Wednesday.

"The National Police chief ordered the probe as he was aware of indications of physical violence. The probe will investigate how serious this abuse was," Timbul told reporters here.

Second Pvt. Yohanis Tulas, Second Pvt. Denny Karya Yanis, Second Pvt. Sutaji Takasihaeng and Second Pvt. Sahilu, all aged between 20 and 24 years old, died soon after undertaking a 13- kilometer run from Central Sulawesi Police Headquarters to the Brimob base on Jl. Sam Ratulangi here. They were among 16 recruits who collapsed before reaching the finishing line.

The 12 surviving officers are being treated at the Palu General Hospital.

A source at the hospital said that the mouths of the dead officers were covered with blood and saliva. A relative of Sutaji, Saria, told reporters that she was not given enough information on why blood had been coming out of Sutaji's mouth.

Eyewitnesses said that the new recruits had been bullied by their superiors.

"A little mistake such as walking too slowly was punished by a kick on the chest or stomach. I was terrified, I swear never to allow my children to become police officers," an eye witness told reporters.

Timbul said the testimony from the witnesses would be corroborated by other evidence.

Forensic doctors conducted autopsies on the dead recruits on Wednesday. They said that the preliminary findings suggested that the officers had died of heat exhaustion.

Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha refused to comment on the outcome of the autopsies.

"Let's just wait for the full results of the investigation," he said.

The provincial police has set up a special team to probe the deaths.