Dead man's body identified

JAKARTA (JP): A tatoo helped family members identify the mutilated body of a man found on Wednesday in the Ciputat Baru housing complex in Tangerang.

The man was identified as Endang Kusnadi, 34, a resident of Jl. Parkit in Kampung Sawah, Ciputat.

He was naked and his left foot and right arm were missing.

Endang's brother, Nur Hanafie, said on Friday at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital morgue that he last saw Endang on Tuesday, the first day of the Idul Fitri holiday.

"After greeting the whole family, he asked for permission to visit his friends."

Th family was not alarmed after he failed to return home.

"He used to stay at a friend's house for days so we did not worry too much about him. But he would usually call us on the following day."

Nur said Endang's nephew Syaiful was on the scene when the body was discovered.

"Unfortunately Syaiful did not recognize the body. Late on Wednesday we began searching for Endang, including visiting the Ciputat police station where we were given the physical features of the body which had just been found.

"Still, we didn't recognize it."

On the following day, Nur and other relatives visited the morgue in Central Jakarta where the body was sent for autopsy.

"Initially we were unable to identify the body because it was in a bad condition. But I became suspicious after spotting the eagle tattoo on his left arm and looking at the toes on his left foot."

Autopsy results were not released, but Nur believed Endang was murdered.

He said Endang was robbed of his clothes and a wallet containing Rp 180,000. Ciputat Police are investigating his death. (ivy)