Bus passenger stabbed to death by students

JAKARTA (JP): A bus passenger died Sunday after being stabbed by a group of high school students who extorted money from him at the Senen Bus Terminal in Central Jakarta on Saturday.

A police source said yesterday that the suspects were students from a nearby technical high school, which is known for its ill- behaved students.

"We're still collecting information and evidence," a senior city police officer, who did not want to be named, said.

The victim, identified as Fikri Yamzi, 25, was stabbed about 7:30 p.m. while returning home on a Mayasari Bhakti P-52 bus plying the Kemayoran-Pulogadung route.

He had been visiting a friend in the Angkasa Pura housing complex with his younger brother Sukri Yamzi.

"When we reached the terminal some high school students boarded the bus," Sukri said.

One of the students pointed a pocket knife at Fikri and demanded he hand over his wristwatch and wallet, he said.

"First he ignored the threat but then one of them slashed his neck with a sharp weapon from behind and there was nothing he could do."

Sukri said that Fikri tried to defend himself but he was stabbed in the arm and then in the stomach before a student snatched his wristwatch and wallet.

"The students pushed their way off the bus afterward."

He said other passengers did not attempt to help his brother.

The bus driver took Fikri to the YARSI Islamic Hospital where he later passed away.

His body was sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta for a postmortem examination. He was buried Sunday in his hometown of Payakumbuh, West Sumatra. (04)